Konoha's Secret
by IronicEnding
Summary: The sealing done by the fourth failed. One who was thought to be dead was locked away until Konoha's need was dire. Was it a mistake? NaruSaku
1. Chapter 1

AN: High everyone and thanks for picking up this fiction. I hope you enjoy it. It is on a seperate storyline all together than Home Again. Dont worry, i will be sequeling that eventually, but right now i wanted to try something new. Let me know how you feel about it.

BTW, if you like cloti from ff7, makorain is a great fluff author. Check it out. Its good stuff. :-)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters.

* * *

A rank stench of death was the only aroma that had settled upon the weary land. There was no smell of bread being pulled out from fresh bakeries nor the sweet scent of flowers that would decorate any normal village. No this village was one whose time was veiled in darkness and evil as the armies of its enemies continue its long scale attack against it.

For nearly 8 years the ragtag forces from the Hidden Village of Sound have laid siege against its nemesis just so one scorned man could finally seek his vengeance. Their minds were filled with an unnatural bloodlust that forced them to continue fighting long after they forgot the reason for engaging in such a war.

They would not rest, they would not relent until the last shinobi of Konoha had fallen and their blood ceased to flow. Only one man was demented enough to act upon the most evil of intentions. He had been denied his position and so he would claim his vengeance by making the innocent feel the full force of his wrath.

It was one of the sannin, students of the 3rd Hokage. Orochimaru.

It was for him that so many ninja from the sound village willingly gave up their lives for a cause they failed to understand. It was because of him that so many ninjas from the fire village had lost their lives in order to protect an ideal that was their home.

The ninja of Konoha had fought bravely for so long in order to protect what was theirs alone. Many had given up time away from their families and loved ones in order to put up a sturdy defense. Many had died in serving their comrades as the bloodshed increased with each passing day.

It was in the first year of battle alone that the greatest warrior the village held, its pride and joy and the one sworn to protect all that was precious to Konoha, was felled in battle by the very person he had taught so many years ago. The 3rd Hokage and teacher of the greatest shinobi to ever walk this planet lost his life in a trap set by his trickster of a student.

His death was a demoralizing blow to the village, but from the fire that left nothing but his ashes raised a new hope to claim the hearts and minds of the villagers. Their estranged princess had finally returned after years of self-inflicted exile. One who had willing left the village had finally been forced to return at the hands of a grey haired hermit with a stoic expression on his face.

The next Hokage of the Hidden Village of Konoha, Tsunade.

It was through her power and might that the warriors of the village rallied once again after the fall of their leader and decided to honor his name by making sure no harm should fall upon the land and the people he had cared so much for.

With great beauty and unparalleled strength did she reform the front lines of defense as she lead. Hope and faith have fallen upon the lands but their situation still looked as bleak as ever.

They had defeated the armies from the Hidden Village of the Sand and sent those troops running back to their homeland once Orochimaru's deception upon them had been revealed.

But it wasn't enough to win. The Sound ninjas remained.

For several years more would they village struggle to maintain life against a foe that existed for no other reason than to extinguish it. The future was bleak, and now the Hidden Village of Konoha was coming upon its darkest hour.

The sound had come across unforeseen reinforcements and had now released upon the defending village one last assault to end the struggle once and for all. It was in this darkest hour would the village find an ember of hope glazed in orange. It was in this darkest hour would the village reveal that it held a dark secret, one that should have been forgotten with the passing of the fourth.

In the Hokage's tower Tsunade sat behind her desk with her hands folder in front of her as the casualty reports poured in with the force of an angered flood. ANBU after ANBU ran in and out of her room to do the scattered task of holding the defending ninjas together, but the surge of Sound nin was a force they could not handle much longer. Drastic measures were about to be taken.

"Tsunade-sama! Tsunade-sama!" A familiar jounin with a habit of chewing upon a weed stumbled into the room. His body held scattered wounds though only a few had the luxury of being bandaged. One arm was held in a makeshift cast until he could find time enough for a medic to heal it, but there was an important matter at hand.

Tsunade looked up with weary eyes though she was eager for any news that had nothing to do with the deaths of her ninja. "What is it?"

"It is Danyo, he wishes to speak with you. He says he has news that could turn the tide of the war." With his message delivered, the great ninja's legs gave out from underneath him as exhaustion overtook his body. His body was gathered by one of the Hokage's assistants before it could completely fall to the ground and taken out to one of the many makeshift medic camps for much do healing. He had served the Hokage well.

"Shizune! Get Danyo in here! Now!" The weary leader's body had found new strength as any news to save Konoha was a welcome blessing upon her weary ears. Even if the news was to come from one as underhanded and twisted as Danyo. Even through the agony of war did he try and take the seat of Hokage. His selfish desires had more than once almost led to the permanent downfall of the village as the Hokage now too had an inner demon to fight. Yet he was a man of many resources with radical ideas and so there was no delay in bringing him to the Hokage.

The battered former ninja walked in unescorted by his guards with a smirk upon his face. His body still remained badly beaten from the wars past that he had a hand in, but his health and his physique showed signs of one who did not suffer an impoverished life due to the scarcity of food in a hidden village fighting a war.

"Hokage-sama" He bowed his head ever so slightly to show what little respect he had for the village's current leader. There was no doubt in his mind that if he was to lead, the siege would have ended long ago. The council was foolish to have elected one of the sannin to lead in his place.

"What information do you have for me." Tsunade had not the patience nor the time to deal with this man's insufferable personality.

Fortunately the leader of Root too knew that he must be brief or be forced to face the wrath of an angry Hokage. He was no fool. While Danyo cared little for her ability to lead, he wasn't foolish enough to question the power of her impacts.

"The demon child. It lives" And it yearns for battle. It yearns for its freedom to escape the prison it has been confined to for so long.

"Impossible…the sealing failed and the child died shortly after the Kyuubi was contained within him.." Though she had walked away from Konoha all those years ago, she was still familiar with the horrors that occurred to her homeland while she was gone.

An evil smirk graced across his face as his smile resembled the one her fallen comrade often held. "He lives and was trained in the ninja arts by those you would least suspect, Hokage-sama."

"The child cannot be controlled! The Kyuubi would have too much influence over him! It would betray us all!" While she wasn't there, Tsunade had heard about the devilish laughter that escaped the mouth of the 'innocent' child. It was proof the Kyuubi roamed freely within the child's body and that the seal hadn't imprisoned it as completely. The demon was supposed to have killed the soul of the child and thus doomed itself along with it. Yet somehow it had survived.

"How…when did you…." Danyo must have had a hand in faking the death of the demon container. No tactic was too low or barbaric for one of his moral code.

"That hardly matters right now Hokage-sama. The child is tamed and it can fight. It is under my control but I will not release it without your permission." This time Danyo bowed lower than before to signal his increasing respect for the Hokage.

But Tsunade was no fool. She knew exactly what her rival had planned. Should the release of the child go well, Danyo would be perceived as a hero with a powerful weapon on his side. Her role as Hokage would surely be challenged. Yet if the demon child became the curse it was known to be, she would be blamed for releasing such an unholy plague upon the visitors in the midst of war. It was a lose/lose situation for her. But it gave Konoha a chance. That was all she needed to know in order to make her decision.

Her eyes were downcast and her voice was solemn though her order was still heard by all in the room. "Do it."

One could almost here the ominous evil laugh that seemed to echoes throughout the village with the issue of that order. It might just be the biggest regret of her life.

* * *

In a forgotten portion of the ninja village lay a cell with a single prisoner to occupy it for the past twenty years. There was no natural light to enter the hidden domain though a single light bulb hung above providing what little illumination that could be provided. Inside in a far corner huddled up was a single boy not quite yet a man, with his flowing chakra tails wrapping up against themselves.

The single door that led into the damp room was opened only to let in more darkness as familiar footsteps echoed throughout the walls. Having been stirred by the sounds of someone entering, the fox child quickly perked up and directed his eyes to the one who entered his 'home'. "Sensei…?"

The proud elder ninja watched as his student stirred from his slumber and stood up to great his teacher. The toad hermit watched with careful eyes as Naruto put upon a characteristically familiar expression on his face. How one could remain so positive when held in such a desolate place was behind the aging sannin, but it was not his job to question it. He needed only to train the boy.

"Yes Naruto, It is me." It pained him what Danyo had done to the child. The criminal behavior he was given ate at the very heart of the toad hermit, but there was little he could do. For reasons unknown to all but Danyo, Jiraiya was unable to free the child from his cell. All he could do now was teach him. And care for him like a father would a child. It was the only thing Jiraiya could do to honor….him….

"What's the matter sensei? You haven't visited me in days. I thought I had upset you.." The boy's downcast eyes were their normal blue human selves. He looked up again to stare upon his teacher once more with a bit of hope in them, wishing that it would be enough to be forgiven for whatever crime he had committed.

"You have done nothing wrong my boy." It hurt the hermit to see the boy feeling so sad, so lonely. But there wasn't time for that. A more serious threat was upon them. "Tell me Naruto…this village. Would you protect it?" Jiraiya had found out what was to be this boy's fate. But before the child could be released within the village, he had to know if Naruto's presence would indeed be beneficial.

A bright smile that seemed to shine enough to enlighten the compound came upon the hopeful boy's face as he looked upon one he considered family. "With my life sensei! I will protect this village! They let me live!"

Somehow the demon child had gained an unnatural and unknown love for the people that had imprisoned. It was some twisted form of logic that made him protective of the people that thought he was just a memory. The irony of it all? Naruto had never stepped foot outside his cell before. The world he knew was merely the stories passed down from sensei to student through the years. It was all Naruto needed to fall in love with the people of his village.

"Then do it." With a swift sequence of hand seal, a barrier was released from around the prison and a few scattered paper seals fell away. As if it acted on its own will, the door to his cage slowly creaked open and thus the demon container was granted freedom for the first time in its short twenty years of life.

With a speed not seen in the village for years, Naruto had exited the village in a swift flash step that took him through the compound and out into the wide open view of the war torn village. Despite the fires that ravenged the ruined buildings and the markings of blood that was strewn about, it was by far the most beautiful sight the boy had ever lay his eyes upon. It was his village. It was his home. And someone dared to attack it.

The tails that had created so many nightmares and the eyes of the beast had come to be seen once again. The invaders would know his anger.

* * *

At the outer wall of the village the remaining healthy ninjas were feeling the full force of the battle before them. It was here that the brunt of the Sound's renewed attack was being focused. The Konoha nin that bravely fought to defend this installation were growing wearier by the minute, but they would not relent. Not while there was still breath left in their lungs

A kunoichi who is as dangerous as she is beautiful had cast aside her duties as a medical ninja and took up the forefront of battle as the need for her strength was dire. With her fist she sent enemy after enemy pummeling back as the strength from her fists matched that of her sensei's. It was ironically perfect that the last thing such evil men should see before being sent to the depths of hell, was the face of a woman with an angelic glow about her.

But Sakura's muscles too grew weary and her senses began to relax as the battle prolonged. She never had the vast stores of chakra that she always hoped and trained for and the constantly decreasing force of her punches showed it.

Her tired state failed to alert her to the ninja that appeared just behind her. The enemy sound ninja unsheathed his blade and turned it toward the pink haired ninja. The sound of the blade coming slashing down was the only warning she got that her end was near. Sakura had time enough only to turn around and see the soulless eyes of her attacker as the sword was merely now inches away from striking into her skin. Her emerald green eyes closed to shut out the pain leading up to her death.

But it never came. When seconds had passed and no injury had befallen her, she quickly shot open her eyes to see her unexpected savior standing in front of her with a kunai in his hands.

"Kakashi-sensie!" The famous sharingan Kakashi stood in front of Sakura with that reassuring smile on his face that always inspired courage within her. Somehow, her former sensei had always been able to make her have hope.

"Don't worry Sakura. Help is on the way. Trust him. Just…Trust him." With that simple statement, the copy ninja had vanished into the midst of the fight where he could be of use, though Sakura was not as alone as one might suspect.

Her first sensei has long gone but she could sense a strong presence of chakra behind her, one she couldn't recognize. It didn't bear that familiar signature that emanated from the enemy sound nin that was ripe with the smell of Orochimaru. No this signature was far more…wicked.

The chakra was…scary. For one who has experienced so much tragedy through the past years, the ability to fear was supposed to have been long gone. Yet now Sakura's body seemed to be frozen with terror as she was almost too afraid to turn around and see what fate awaited her. With what ounce of strength she had, she forced her head to turn around to look upon a sight she certainly did not expect.

Standing behind her with a curious look upon her face was not a man, but not quite a demon either. It was a boy close to her age though he was surrounded and nearly engulfed by the radical reddish orange chakra that seemed to burn away at everything near it. The boy had 3 engraved marks on either cheek with eyes that flickered back and forth from being red to blue. The canines on the boy had grown unnaturally long but the most distinguishing feature upon his face were the fox like ears that seemed to protrude. But all of this paled in comparison to the nine wicked tails that flapped about as if each held a mind of its own.

She should have run. She should have feared him further after setting her emerald green eyes upon this deadly beast. Yet something comforted her, told her that it was here to help and not to hurt. It was a goofy grin upon his face that seemed to say 'hello'.

Suddenly the nine tails perked up and shot towards the young kunoichi who once again experienced total fear as saw the spear like objects shoot towards her. That silly smile it wore upon his face quickly changed to one that was angered and ferocious and dripping with malicious intent. Sakura immediately brought up her hands to shield her from the harm to come, but was surprised when the tails reached beyond her and stabbed at several enemy ninja that was heading her way while she was too distracted to fight.

Once she looked upon the man/beast again he was smiling rather dopily again though he remained rather stoic. It was almost like he didn't know what to do or what to say. Could it be he was socially retarded?

Well, considering its radical demeanor, it wouldn't be surprising to see it didn't have many friends. All this brought up a rather interesting question. Just what was it? Scratch that. It looked like a man. Who was he?

Having once again regained control of her senses, Sakura opened her mouth to speak and voice her concerns. "Just who are-"

Her mouth was immediately shut when the form in front of her disappeared faster than her eyes could track, only to reappear just in front of her, with his lips pressed against her own. Her eyes opened wide at the shock of such rash behavior in the midst of a battle, leaving her unable to shove away the one who pushed himself upon her. It was clumsy and awkward, though it served a refreshing twist from the conflict they were fighting

Her hand steadied to slap away his face with great force but instead all it met with was air as the one who stole a kiss from her had already flash stepped just beyond her till he was standing at the edge of the wall.

The shinobi war continued to rage on just beyond that wall and into the forest as various explosions sent minor shockwaves in their direction. Naruto's hair flapped around wildly with the force of wind and added a feral look to the boy.

"My name's Naruto. Will you be my friend?" For one who looked so evil, his voice was uncannily cheery and almost…childlike.

Before Sakura could answer, dozens of Naruto's all appeared to be standing side by side with that overemphasized smile on each of their faces. With a salute it spoke once more before jumping into the void before. "Sorry. Got to go now. Need to save the village. I'll talk to you later friend!" With that the clones plus the original itself scattered to the far corners of the battle

Sakura ran towards the edge of the wall that contained Konoha with a storm of thoughts attacking her mind. What was going on. How could one ninja possibly hope to turn back the swarm of invaders that were at their doorsteps? Only the Hokage would have the answers.

* * *

So what do you guys think? Is it any good? I hope you all like it, but please leave me a review with some comments, questions, and anything else you would like to say. It provides great inspiration and i love responding to them. :-)

Also, i am still unsure about Sasuke's role in this. Meaning whether he is a missing nin, a faithful konoha nin, dead, on orochimaru's side, or a good guy or whatever. Lemme know what you guys think. It will help me decide. Also if you have any questions, feel free to ask and i will try to answer.

Thanks again guys. Until next time, take care. :-)


	2. revenge

Its been a while. Been busy. Not much else to say. be warned i havent really proofread any of this. Hope its still satisfactory.

* * *

The sun was weary from a long days work and slowly began its fall into an endless oblivion only to return to its monotonous task the next day. It had to watch over a frightening scene as a battle of untold proportions took place just below, yet the civilized world would never know of it.

A river of blood flowed from the bodies of all the fallen ninjas and sank towards the foliage away from the village. The blood would have no choice but to be sucked up by the very trees that symbolized Konoha and thus tainting it for life. Such was the result of war.

Mangled forms were strewn about carelessly with little left to identify them. Eyes were left unshut and mouths were frozen open do to the quick onset of death, but then again that was hardly a new sight for the Hidden Village of the Leaf.

What was different however, was the manner in which the freshest layer of meatbags were killed. Those bodies were seared with chakra burns streaming right through them as if their matter was nothing more than paper. Too many had died too quickly. What could this deadly and secret weapon of Konoha's actually be? None were able to spot it save a quick yellow flash.

Yet it was that same weapon that lay mangled and beaten just near the wall that defended Konoha. It was evident by the trail left behind that the demon-child struggled to drag itself back towards its home despite his injuries, as if being closer to his village would bring a soothing feeling to his aching bodies. When it had expelled every last bit of energy stored within its deceptively small muscles, it collapsed under its own weight.

It was from just on top of that wall that Sakura found this 'person' passed out with only shallow breathes escaping his form. This was the person who had stolen a kiss from her.

There was something demonically calming about the way the boy lay down there asleep and exhausted from the endless hours of fighting he had endured earlier this day. He looked so peaceful, so happy to be out there in the battlefield.

Well regardless of his 'aura', it was Sakura's job to rejuvenate and heal all battered Konoha ninja, and the shinobi down there definitely qualified as one. She stood up and prepared to jump down below to provide whatever assistance she could, for purely medical reasons of course. It wasn't like she was planning to interrogate whoever that was and ask why he acted in such a…bold manner to her. That wasn't it at all.

Wait, he did say his name. That's right. It was Naruto.

Yes, Naruto would pay. Err, scratch that, she was supposed to heal him after.

Just as she was going to jump down and finally provide her calming touch, she found a hand grab her wrist and prevent her for moving and further down. Shocked she turned around and found the familiar half-covered face of her former-sensei Kakashi.

"Yo" Despite all the fighting that occurred, Kakashi's attitude never faltered. It had become one of the things Sakura had learned to count on.

"Kakashi-sensei! What are you doing? I have work to do." She was getting a little annoyed with the game her sensei seemed to be playing but then again holding back a medical ninja was hardly child's play.

"Sorry but this job isn't for you." He released her wrist and pointed downward to reveal a squad of ANBU who had gathered around the hibernating blond ninja. They were careful to pick him up and transport him away faster than her eyes could follow. Sakura quickly turned around and faced her former teacher demanding the answers to the events she witnessed.

"Kakashi-sensei! What's going on here!? Where did he come from and where are they taking him? How come I have never seen him before?" Being an apprentice to the Hokage put her on familiar terms with all the notable ninja in the village. This one was certainly remarkable but one that had slipped under her radar. She had questions that needed answering.

However with a half salute Kakashi had disappeared in a puff of smoke that would leave his ex-pupil in further confusion as to why she would need to be left out of the loop. Her village was hiding something from the general populace, especially if ANBU was involved. It would be her job in order to find out just what was going on.

* * *

In the Hokage's tower Danzou had already started making himself feel at home in the prestigious office. He rested his body in a chair just across the Hokage's desk and had a sly smirk about his face. He had an advantage over Tsunade right now and he knew it. Unfortunately for him, so did she and no Hokage went unprepared.

Her assistant Shizune was also present though she decided to stand to the side of the room, safe from any flying objects that may accidentally get hurled Danzou's way. Things could get violent and bloody if she had guessed right.

"I see. You have provided a valuable service to the village of Konoha Danzou" Tsunade's hands were clasped right in front of her, just hiding her mouth as she spoke. Had the 'ally' sitting across from her seen the wickedly evil grin the Hokage had he would have run from the office some time ago.

"I was just doing what was in the best interest of Konoha, Hokage-sama" He felt too smug for his own good, this would undoubtedly lead to his downfall. "Though no doubt once the people hear that I released the weapon that put an end to the war they will rally around me." He leaned forward from his chair to look the Hokage straight into the eyes as he spoke, wanting to savor the moment. "I'm afraid your time is almost up."

"No I'm afraid your time is almost up Danzou" Tsunade stood up from her desk and did nothing more as if she was expecting something to happen. After a quick moment passed the inaction was starting to get on her nerves and thus caused her fingers to rap against her desk with increasing ferocity. "I said…No I'm afraid your time is almost up Danzou!"

With that remark two figures crashed through the door. Though one had white hair and the other silver, they were alive in their perverted giggles emanating from them. Tsunade should have known better than to have **that** particular secretary working today. It always caused problems.

"Sorry, I was doing…um…research, it's for my new book." A lamp quickly collided with the side of Jiraiya's face leaving a weary Kakashi on the alert for further office décor to come flying in their direction. "And I got lost on the-" A quick look from the Hokage told him it was futile and stupid to go any farther with that particular line. One of these days Kakashi would learn to be truthful about where he really was, one of these days.

"Ahem, as I was saying…" Tsunade quickly reverted her attention back to a confused Danzou who could only wonder if this would be a good time to continue his gloating spree. It was only then he realized what task the ninja who had just entered had been entrusted with. They were responsible for Naruto's care. What had the blonde come up with…

"It seems that you have been holding a Konoha ninja in a private prison under false pretences." It was Tsunade's turn to be smug. Revenge could be oh so sweet. "Isn't that right Shizune?"

With a stern look upon her face, the apprentice responded, "That's right Hokage-sama"

"And it seems that the ninja released yesterday is definitely a Konoha ninja, judging by the headband he wore, isn't that right Shizune?"

"That's right Hokage-sama."

"There are a lot of witnesses who will confirm this, won't they Shizune?"

"That's right Hokage-sama."

"Including two Konoha ninjas who were acting under the last wishes of the former Hokage, isn't that right Shizune?

"That's right Hokage-sama" This time Shizune made a special effort to glance in the direction of Jiraiya and Kakashi.

More angered glimpses fell upon Danzou as the heated eyes of both the great toad hermit and the famous copy ninja burnt a hole into the now sniveling man. It was clear to him now what was happening. He had been duped.

"So what do we do with ninja who break the law Shizune?" Tsunade had coyly walked around the room and made it back to her desk though she remained standing by her chair. She didn't want to miss a moment of this to come.

"We let ANBU determine the punishment. Eye for an eye I would think." After creating a sideline organization to ANBU, Danzou was not a popular shinobi in their eyes either. He was almost convinced he would be better off receiving his punishment right from the Hokage herself.

Before he even had time to put up a reasonable defense on his behalf, various puffs of smoke appeared around him and silenced the words that sought to come out of him. Though the faces were covered by masks, he could tell each one looked upon him as a helpless rabbit in a foxhunt. No that wasn't a simile, the ANBU really had hunted the last lawbreaking shinobi like that.

A few knuckles had cracked and echoed throughout the room as the anticipation built in the seconds that past. There was no foe to worry about anymore, leaving these men time enough to seek revenge on one who had falsely imprisoned one of their own. No one mistreats a ninja of Konoha like that, no one.

Several more puffs of smoke were left as all the ANBU had disappeared and had taken one extra 'guest' with them. The report on this should make for an interesting read later.

It was only now that Tsunade fell back into her chair and allowed her face to fall flat against the desk while tears streamed down her face. No, they weren't of joy because of the war that had been stalemated or for the inner turmoil that had just been quelled. Jiraiya didn't have to tell her who the child was, she could already guess who his father was.

The son of a former Hokage should not have been made to live a life like this. But what was done was done. It was time to move forward with the situation.

"Kakashi, is Naruto in the medical facility, are they looking after him?" She couldn't bear to bring her head up and look upon her subordinates with tears in her eyes. That would have been too shameful.

"Yes, she is." The 'she' in question seemed to be well understood by all parties involved. "They both are actually."

"Both?" Tsunade snapped her head up though she quickly dried her eyes of the waterfalls streaming down from them. There wasn't supposed to be a both.

"It seems Rin was convinced to bring Sakura along." Threatened within an inch of her life was more like it actually but now wasn't the time to be picky with wording.

This time it was Shizune who stepped in with confusion apparent upon her face. Sure Sakura was a leading medical specialist who would one day rival herself, Rin, and Tsunade but a case like Naruto might just be too much for her. "We must rush to the hospital. Rin might need our help then." The help was in reference to keeping Sakura in check, not to the procedure.

Finally it was the ever present though silent Jiraiya that spoke up. "She isn't operating on him. Sakura just wanted to see the boy again. It seems like he had made quite an impression upon her the first time."

Once again the Hokage found herself lost in the conversation taking place and quickly slammed her fist against her desk and effectively sending shrapnel flying to all corners of her office. "Alright, you two have some explaining to do!"

* * *

Hospitals everywhere sucked. No matter which one you went to, each one always had those annoying bright lights, those sickeningly sterile and blank white walls, that smell of chemicals that seemed to linger about, and people walking around in masks like they were trying to hide their identity.

Except for Naruto this was all new and rather exciting. He had never been to a hospital before. Frankly he had never been hurt enough to end up in such a place. But these new experiences that were tickling his sensations and exploding his minds with new thoughts that never crossed his mind before.

Like the sky! It was blue! It really was blue just like in all those books he had read. Every inch of the sky that he checked while his head was sticking out of the window was absolutely and brilliantly blue!

"Oh dear…Rin-san! Rin-san! He got out of his bed again! Rin-san!!" A nurse that was passing by to check on the noted mystery boy wasn't too surprised to find their patient bouncing around with an unusual amount of energy. He had made quite a commotion since he had awoken from his near coma-like state.

Within seconds Naruto felt his body entrapped within the soft and comfortably welcoming feel of a woman's body wrapping around him to soothe the radiant energy flowing out of him. Naruto quickly calmed at the touch though his breathing was still heavy. This was something new to him altogether, something he liked much better than the sky or the sun or the many clouds that danced around it. A woman's hug.

"Is my little boy misbehaving?" Rin spoke quietly while holding him, like a loving mother would her newborn child.

"Sorry…." He did indeed sound like a little boy who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Well if you behave maybe I can see if Sakura can come back and play again a little later." Little did Naruto know that she was actually standing just outside the door, trying to stifle a giggle at how silly the scene inside looked. How could a grown man act so childish?

Though her laughter quickly died down at that thought. Everyone refused to tell her why she had never seen him before in Konoha. Naruto himself avoided the topic of where he had been before the day. Instead he was just fascinated by…well her.

Sakura peered her emerald green eyes back so towards the adorable scene between her. It really did look like a scene between a mother and a child but Sakura already knew how impossible that was. Still, there was a connection there, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Still she could overhear bits and pieces of the conversation taking place within.

"Rin-san…you…you remind me of someone I don't really remember." What a silly thing to say...

Rin looked down upon Naruto with a big smile upon her face as she immediately knew who Naruto was talking about, even if he didn't. "That's because Naruto, I knew your mother. Very well in fact."

"Really? How come?" Funny. No questions about his abandonment, his treatment, or what his mother was like.

"Well, for now lets just leave that topic alone."

"Oh…ok" A dejected and hurt look sprinted across his face at that comment. When one has been confined for so long, they are often eager to learn anything about everything. They just needed something to make them feel more connected to the world.

"Though I'll tell you what. I'll be your Aunty Rin! How does that sound?"

"Really!? YIPPEE!!" Naruto broke out of her hold and started bouncing around the room with glee at the thought of simply having an aunt.

Though again he was quickly restrained and pacified when he was once again embraced by Rin, but this time it was accompanied by a kiss to his forehead. His mannerisms where quelled and his energy sapped out with that simple connection. "Now be a good boy, get into bed and rest. I'll see if Sakura can drop by later."

Without so much as a word, Naruto quietly did just that.

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Typical stuff here to. now that you have read, take the time to leave a review. 


	3. Maturity

AN: Yep. I knows. It has been a long time. I have been busy and needed to take care of somthings. Had to do a lot of writing for classes, so free time writing wasnt my ideal task. Anyways i hope you like this chapter as well. enjoy it everyone. As always, review when done.

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"What do we do with him?" The hokage continued to stare out the window in her office to look upon the village she had sworn to protect. There certainly was a problem. None in the village officially knew about the true existence of Naruto, only the role he played in vanquishing his enemies. Despite the efforts ANBU had put out to contain the story, his actions were far too flashy to miss. 

"He can't live alone. He's still.." Calling him a child would have been a mistake. Despite his antics, Naruto had grown rapidly over the past few days. He had obtained some maturity that some young boys never claim. Despite all this, the world around him was still a new and mysterious place. Though he may be powerful, Naruto would still be susceptible to the evils of man. "…He's still naïve."

The hokage sighed and let her eyes droop down to the floor while she crossed her arms in front of her. "That damn pervert saying he had to leave and check on his informants. The boy trusts him the most."

"Kakashi wouldn't be able to look after him too well. We need him active now more than ever with our numbers reduced." Lives had been claimed in the war Naruto had quickly ended. Reconstruction was upon the hidden village but that hardly meant missions were no longer accepted. The town's primary source of revenue had to continue flowing for the sake of all who lived there.

At the mention of Kakashi, a subtle knock came at the door which Shizune promptly had opened. In entered a familiar medic ninja with a smile on her face and a glow that seemed to signal she had the answers to the problems they were dealing with. Though, it wasn't like she was eavesdropping on her hokage or anything. That would have been just wrong.

Rin bowed before the leader of the village before speaking the thoughts lingering in her mind. "Hokage-sama. I..I have an idea on what to do with Naruto." Though her head was still bowed down low, her eyes glanced up to meet that of Tsunade's. Through that connection alone did both women seem to arrive upon an agreement without saying another word. Only Shizune was left in the dark.

"Did I miss something?"

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The sun seemed to shine more often and brighter than ever before now that the fighting had ended and Konoha could move onto further prosperity. Or maybe before no one really and truly appreciated the simple things that could be so easily snatched away, caused by nothing more than one man's desire to cause pain.

Yet there was one man who would forever remember the first time he smelled free air, the first time he was thrown into a real fight, the first time he felt the wind whip at his face as he launched himself off of Konoha's outer wall, and definitely so, the first time he felt the lips of a girl upon his own.

Those books ero-sennin wrote would never be able to truly express the feelings a boy felt the first time he kissed a girl. The feeling one's first crush gives is special, never to be reproduced by any other means save memory.

With these thoughts on his mind, Naruto mindfully walked back towards his new home with an armful of bags. He wasn't quite sure what to do with the contents inside, only that his auntie seems to have asked some of the local stores to prepare necessities for a boy living on his own. Having heard the legend of the golden ninja that saved the day, and fearing the wrath of the requester, the store owners were more than wiling to comply with these simple demands.

Naruto was mindful of all the looks he got as he made his way down the street. Many a ninja would have dulled their senses and lost all understanding of their surrounding had they been isolated as long as Naruto, however he wasn't like most ninja. Left and right he finally came to understand just how many people really lived in Konoha. Just imagine, a whole world of people were right in front of him! All he had to do was reach out and meet someone and he could finally understand the full meaning of the term 'friend.'

But the stares weren't all friendly. While some did look upon the shinobi with a great deal of pride and happiness, there were a few that were somewhat different. One wouldn't call them upset or even evil, but rather something that defined Naruto's personality. Curious.

There were at least a few villagers that couldn't accept the arrival of a savior from out of no where when it looked as if all hope was lost. Despite his ongoing integration into society, there was still an air of mystery about him and his origins.

A few of the more notable citizens had already approached the young lad and inquired about his past and where he had come from as none recalled a ninja of such great strength residing within their village. All they ever received from Naruto was a huge grin and a simple but truthful 'Who knows.'

Naruto finally reached his destination though he was indeed in no hurry to enter his apartment. There was simply too much to see and experience to make his walk to and from the general store faster than it needed to be. He still gawked at the mere size of the building as it towered several stories above him. Never in his life had he seen such a structure before. Then again never in his life had he seen much of anything before.

"Watcha got there?" a familiar voice spoke from behind him. Naruto already felt her presence approaching him a few moments ago, but it was kinda like a game to let other people think they surprised him.

"I'm not sure. But Auntie Rin told me to pick this up from the General's Store." Naruto continued to look at the apartment complex with awe. He had a little trouble understanding why more people weren't amazed by these feats.

Sakura turned her head towards the building her apartment was also located in and wondered what was so interesting about it. Sure it was one of the nicer places available in Konoha but it still looked like any other building in the city. Maybe Naruto could see something that she couldn't. He did tend to look at the whole world funny. "It's called a General Store, not the General's store. Sheesh, baka."

Several weeks ago Sakura's sensei had called her in the office and explained that the young medic-nin was to be assigned a rather unorthodox mission. Apparently the mysterious blonde stranger she had encountered on the final days of war had undergone complete chakra exhaustion and in doing so his memory was affected. The one responsible for saving this hidden village now had very little awareness of his surroundings, along with his past memory. Somehow the story seemed a little odd to Sakura. Though she wasn't quite as accomplished as Tsunade, she knew that most memory loss didn't hamper common knowledge, just personal memories and identity. Then again, a lot had happened the past few days that she didn't understand. That and she knew better to openly question her sensei. She had enough bruises from years past to prove that.

So conveniently she was asked to watch over the boy during his stay in the hospital and while he gets adjusted to life in his apartment which was handily right across from her own. Strange how quickly the prior owners moved out. They hadn't said a word to anyone.

Watching over Naruto in the hospital was a new experience in and of itself. Who knew that someone who was supposed to be gravely injured could have nearly limitless energy and passion for re-exploring the world around him? Weren't most amnesia victims afraid of their surroundings? Instead he had this desire to learn more and acquaint himself with everything and anything.

The first thing she had to teach him was some manners. After getting pounced on twice by the boy when she entered his hospital room, it was clear that some strict instructions would be needed. Strict instructions with a fist of fury that is. Naruto had once disregarded Sakura's lessons on how to behave with a lady and quickly found himself at the receiving end of one of Sakura's punches. It's not like the blond ninja could help it. He was just so excited to the first friend he ever made since his release. Then again it's not like Sakura knew about his true past.

Naruto's time in the hospital had been brief given his ability to quickly heal himself and regenerate the chakra he had expended, yet memories were made there as well. Memories like playing shoji with both Sakura and Rin. Memories like being able to try new foods three times a day! Memories like he shouldn't try to kiss Sakura again without her expressed permission. That had resulted in another painful Sakura lesson.

That much seemed funny to Naruto. He was a boy. Sakura was a girl. In the books, the girl fell in love with the boy who kissed her immediately. Somehow this didn't seem to work out with Naruto. It was clear the rejection had hurt his spirits that evening. To some it may have been a simple temporary rejection, but to Naruto it was further proof that he was just different.

That night he stayed alone in his hospital room and made no attempt to leave. His eyes stared out into the cloudy night. The darkness outside was one thing that didn't spark his curiosity. He had encountered enough to satisfy himself for lifetimes to come.

Though she wasn't sure why, Rin was strangely drawn back to this boy's room on that very night. Something told her that Naruto needed someone, but not just anyone would do. It had to be one that could understand his feelings. Who better than a woman like herself?

She crept into his room and entered without Naruto so much as acknowledging her existence though he knew she had entered. Rin could see the sorrow that dwelled within his eyes and had a feeling she knew what pain he was going through. Only one emotion could hurt one like that, the only emotion that made hate seem like such a trivial matter. A broken heart.

Rin walked over to the bed and sat down next to Naruto and quickly grabbed him and embraced him into a warm hug so as to help soothe his sorrows away. It was easy to tell Naruto had taken a liking to Sakura in a way that was natural to men. Yet she only learned now that for some reason he had created a stronger link towards her.

Perhaps it was because Sakura was the first girl he had met in his life. Maybe there was some magic sealed into that kiss he gave her. Or maybe it was something innate that immediately attracted him to her. Whatever the cause, its existence could no longer be denied once identified.

That night Rin had gently stroked Naruto's unruly blond hair as she tried to teach him the ways of the world. If Jiraiya and Kakashi were the only two who could teach Naruto during his imprisonment, then it was no surprise why he had misjudged the situation. "Naruto…life isn't like those books you read. Things don't always turn out that way." Such words hardly helped the boy feel better about his situation. "You can't just kiss a girl and expect her to like you." Rin was apparently failing at her task as she could feel yet another tear drop fall upon her shirt.

She pulled back from her hug with Naruto and tried to look him in the eye though his cerulean orbs were rather downcast. "You need to romance a girl."

Naruto sniffled a little bit and cleared his throat to better speak to his auntie. "Roam ants?" That wasn't one of the words he had come across in his readings.

With a slight giggle Rin quickly corrected him, though she did find his confusion rather adorable. At least Naruto was the first man in the ninja world who would openly admit they knew nothing about the subject. "Romance Naruto, romance. It's when you show a girl you think she is special and that you like her."

Naruto seemed to dwell upon the subject for a few moments until a look of absolute delight hit him. He had understood something. "Then that means I should romance Auntie Rin right!?"

While the medic-ninja was honored to learn that Naruto thought she was special, it was clear she needed to be more precise on just who and how romance should be applied. "No Naruto. Romance is just for girls who give you the feeling Sakura does. It's your way of letter her know you are interested. That you really really really like her."

"Oh…I see" But despite his words Rin understood that Naruto clearly had no idea what his aunt was talking about.

"Don't worry Naruto. I'll help you romance Sakura." No sooner had she spoken these words did Rin see a huge smile plastered across the boys face.

"Really!?"

"Of course. What are aunts for?" Truthfully, before this moment Naruto barely understood what an aunt was. "Now you better get to sleep or I just might change my mind."

Though he was obviously too excited to fall into any kind of slumber, Naruto quickly dove himself under his blankets and turned on his side while making exaggerated snoring noises. Rin left the room that night with a smile on her face, only to speak to the hokage the next morning about moving her pledge along.

And so Naruto ended up living across the hall from Sakura. In just a few weeks with a lot of help from Rin, Naruto was able to tame his behavior and act more like a man befitting his age. The assistance he got from Sakura to better understand the village around him and how to adapt to society better allowed him to quickly adjust to the "amnesia" role he had been assigned by Rin to play. Though to Naruto, that part still felt like a game.

"Oye, Naruto! Stop dazing off!" Sakura herself had just snapped out of a trance a few moments ago as she recalled some of the misadventures the two had encountered over the past few weeks since his release from the hospital.

In ways Naruto was almost like an infant, having to be taught even the most basic tasks. The oddest thing is usually some kind of muscle memory should have kicked in during these events but in every situation, that failed to be the case.

Sakura had fondly remembered how she tried to show Naruto the intricacies of learning how to brush his teeth. They had managed to create a total mess in his bathroom that day as toothpaste was splattered everywhere. This was soon followed by a frustrated Naruto trying to somehow force that same toothpaste back into the tube with little luck.

Then of course, there was his experience with television. It had taken Naruto sometime to finally understand that there was no chakra making the magical screens appear upon the device and change on his command. It seemed too good to be true. A portal to seeing everything he could ever want existed right in the apartment that he would be staying in! What Naruto muttered about the TV next however, would confuse Sakura for quite some time to come. While his voice was ruffled and low, she could have sword she heard something about it being a container for many demons and people. Right after Sakura sensed a familiar but frightening presence of chakra that could only be described as chaotic. Though it lasted for only a moment, it was there, and it had destroyed the TV to his apartment.

But not all memories were quite as unnerving as the previous event. Some events were simply hilarious. The pink ninja was amazed that she had to teach Naruto the difference between soap and shampoo. It had been difficult enough to explain the need to explain the need for soap without giving him a live demonstration. Shampoo was another matter. Sakura had mentioned that it was meant specifically for cleaning one's hair. She had been stupefied for a moment when it was asked to clean hair….found everywhere, but her shock had subsided and she sent the recovering ninja barreling clear out his window and down into the streets of the town he had protected moments ago. It appeared Sakura still had more manners that she needed to teach him.

Coming back to the present finally, Naruto and Sakura were finally able to lock eyes with one another without recalling moments from the past. Having seen Naruto had finally finished gazing upon the building….again, she took the bag from his arms and began to inspect the contents. Funny, it was just some basic foodstuffs. How could he not know what it was….unless….

"Naruto…you've never cooked before have you?" The more she thought about it, the more she realized this boy had nearly lived off of food you could prepare in three minutes.

"Sure I have! I boil water all the time." Naruto had a look of determination and pride upon him as he revealed the almost insurmountable task he had accomplished when he first came to his new residence. A slight tear drop could be seen by Sakura as she was stunned by this revelation. She grabbed Naruto by the hand and quickly led him inside the building. "Come on. I'll show you what real food tastes like."

Naruto by now was smart enough not to say this, but he secretly hope it tasted like cherry blossoms. His mind would never let him forget the touch, the taste, the feel of the first and only kiss he was able to share with Sakura. Try as he might there was nothing in this brave new world that was quite like it. However, maybe, just maybe one day he would be able to taste and feel what was he desired again.

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I think I need to brush up again. i wasnt satisfied with the chapter but if i didnt post it now, who knows when i would get around to it again. Anyways, let me know your thoughts. Until next time, take care. 


	4. Another Secret

AN: I was a little surprised by the reviews. I went from getting about thirty...to eight. But the hit count was about the same. Thats...depressing really. Whatever. Anyways i thought i would add a new twist to this story. It was originally going to be another story but i think i can tie the two together. Especially since another story would take me freaking forever to get to. Hope you all enjoy it.

And btw, i dont own naruto.

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An amazing feat happens in the fire country. It's a truly miraculous sight that can be found no where else in the entire shinobi lands. Many have come to get just a glimpse of this anomaly, but few have succeeded in that task. Why you may ask? Because the same thing that makes this so unique is also what keeps it so well hidden.

Only in the Country of Fire, does lightning appear to strike on a truly cloudless day.

But this was lightning unlike any other. This was lightning that could indeed strike the same place twice. This was lightning that always killed its intended target. This was lightning that didn't distinguish between high and low grounds. Most importantly, this was lightning that didn't leave any thunderous boom upon its arrival.

For this lightning, was caused by none other than the infamous golden flash of Konoha, as he performed his Hiraishin no jutsu.

A brash young man at the old ninja age of twenty, the golden flash had long outlived many of his comrades. Despite needing to practice the art of stealth and melding with the shadows, he was known as a loudmouth and a fun loving prankster by those who knew him long enough. His enemies however, never got a second look.

Though suddenly his life took a troublesome turn for the worse. It was a tragedy of tragedies for a "super-jounin" as he had dubbed himself. Imagine, him of all people, student of one of the legendary sannin, almost a living legend in his own time at such a young age, was handed a B rank mission.

The 3rd Hokage had never had someone so openly berate him upon delivering an assignment. He could only hope his pupil's pupil would be the last to ever show him such disrespect.

Then again how was the golden flash to know the true secret behind his B rank mission? Despite his experience, he had already made the mistake of not looking underneath the underneath. It would become a concept he would be sure to instill into his students.

Konoha's golden flash sighed as he stood upon a large tree and scouted the clearing ahead of him. No matter how hard he tried he just couldn't convince himself to put forth the enthusiasm necessary to complete this mission. Yet the pay was unquestionably good, and on that fact alone had he relented to the Hokage's demands.

A sudden wind picked up and caused the jounin's coat to flap around slight in the wind. His golden hair for which he was named too whipped around in carefree fashion, unwilling to be tamed by anything. With bored eyes he found no threats for miles around him and felt it safe enough to continue.

It was hardly worth using his enhanced speed to reach his destination. He was already significantly ahead of time. Maybe he could find something fun to do in the village he was visiting. That was highly unlikely. Most of those villages looked and felt so outdated that it was ridiculous. Who knew people could still happily live that way in this day and age?

Besides, it wouldn't be professional for him to make his presence in that village too noticeable. He was supposed to be a ninja after all.

Containing his chakra signature even further, the golden flash continued on his journey without much event. When traveling in his home country, it was hardly worth constantly looking for enemies, but that certainly didn't mean he would make his presence known to all those around him. These were times of war after all.

The tiny village appeared before the young ninja soon enough as he halted his advance a mile south of his intended target. It was time to play the role of a lone traveler, looking for a place to stop for a few hours as he journeys in search of…something.

Damn it. He had forgotten his alias again. He would need to think of something and fast. Oh well, his slow and leisurely pace into town would provide him plenty of time to make a decision on that.

But as luck would have it, he wouldn't have to walk the entire way. A traveling merchant with a horse and buggy had been traveling down the same road and offered to give the young man a lift into the village. Strange..people sure were trusting in this part of the fire country.

It was then he realized that these areas had been little affected by the shinobi war currently under way. Konoha however, was a different story altogether. The realities of war had sunk into the lifestyle of the general populace as waves of enemy ninjas threatened to onslaught them at any time. No worries though, relief would come soon enough.

Though that was the true reason Jiraiya's pupil had been so annoyed with his current mission. He knew, that once he was back on the frontlines, he had the power to end the conflict. His technique was nearly perfect. All he desired was the time to practice a little bit more and Konoha's forces would be unstoppable. The golden flash learned how to become a true army of one.

But instead, here he was on his way to complete a trivial B rank mission. The more he thought about it, the more he regretted ever accepting it. But the money being offered was good and Konoha could certainly benefit the share it would subtract from his pay.

As his mind slowly strolled through all these thoughts, the merchant managed his way into town and 'woke' the young one from his daydreams while muttering something about kids these days.

The golden flash offered the salesman a hasty thanks and a few coins for his troubles which were quickly accepted. He then made his way into town looking for his target. He may as well get this mission over with. The sooner he put up with his troublesome objective, the sooner he'd return home to his friends and sensei.

This part of the mission would surely be the worst. No prearranged meeting place was established by the clients. He was just supposed to use his peerless abilities and make the whole mission come together.

It was times like this that the young blond truly hated the Hokage for accepting such lame proposals.

He stretched his arms behind his head and leisurely walked forth in search of his clients. What was the point in trying too hard? He could always say he was unable to locate his client despite making a good faith effort, but that would hardly go over well.

It was when he walked past an unremarkable alleyway however, that would cause his entire life to change.

He felt a hand grasp at his coat from behind and quickly pull him into the shadows of the alley as a loan figure held a knife to his throat. The voice alone was full of malice and distrust as a warning was spoken. "Move an inch and I take your life. Pathetic. I thought Konoha's ninja were stronger than that."

"Ahem!" The startled attacker froze as they heard a voice from behind them. It was then that they noticed that while the coat was real, the person wearing it was not. A simple substitution technique replaced Konoha's legendary ninja with a simple dummy. Yes…the attacker was apparently that weak.

The person quickly regrouped and faced the shinobi with knife still in hand though now poised to strike. They wore a simple black cloak that disguised their entire form and kept their face hidden from view, but still allowed them enough sight to allow them to spot the shinobi in front of them.

At least he **was** in front. Suddenly the attacker felt a cold blade against their throat. The golden flash had restrained this person from behind and used this leverage to pull down the hood of his would be assailant.

In his arms he found the body of strikingly beautiful young brunette woman with fiery blue eyes that had nearly frozen in shock. Suddenly a B ranked mission didn't seem so bad after all.

Slowly he brought his lips painstakingly close to her ear while her body was still unable to react to being caught from behind. All that was needed now was one last test, and one hell of a tease to pull it off.

"The winds of change are blowing in Konoha"

"But the Sakura blossoms still bloom" Her voice was silky smooth and lacked the aggressive nature she heard earlier. Thank god.

At least she remembered the code word. He'd have to kill her otherwise and frankly…it would be messy cleaning up the mess. Sounds strict? War time rules. There was too much risk of a client being replaced by an undercover shinobi from an enemy village. It was a necessary evil until a lasting peace could be brought back to the lands.

He let the woman and watched as she nearly stumbled down to her feat. But she wouldn't let herself fall. Not in front of this ….this man who had insulted her integrity so. How dare he show her up like that!

Then again, what was the point in hiring a ninja that you yourself could capture?

She scowled at the blond one and shot him a look so maliciously evil that only a woman could produce it. That's right…"the look".

"You're late" …actually…no..he wasn't

"I'm several hours early."

"It was still too slow." Insolent jerk of a man!

"Still faster than you." He stuck out his tongue in a playful manner. What was he, a child???

"Pfft. How dare you stick your tongue out at me you dirty vagabond!" Now she simply looked disgusted.

"Dirty!? I'm not dirty. What the hell are you talking about?' He looked down on his clothes and only then noticed all the dust and stains found on his coat. Hey…it wasn't like there was time to do laundry. There was a war to fight you know.

"And geeze, when was the last time you bathed?" Ok…so he had been camping out for a few days and neglected a few more hygienic procedures. It wasn't exactly uncommon when you had to constantly watch your back. Rivers and lakes tended to become natural ambushes.

She on the other hand…simply smelled heavenly. That or the golden flash had simply expected her to. It was hard to imagine a beautiful girl with a…stench.

"Are you going to insult me all day or are we going to get on our way? I don't have all day to play with weak little girls." Oh he had touched a nerve there. All of a sudden the bone chilling look she had given him earlier had turned into a near-castrating glare.

"What….did you say….!?" She raised her fists in anger as if she were threatening him with physical harm.

"Weak….little…UGLY ….Girl!" It was funny how he shouted out this insult. Weren't they supposed to be talking in secret and avoiding attention?

"You little sorry excuse of a ninja, why I outta-" The person she was arguing with was again no longer in front of her. Instead her speech was stopped as she felt a hand covering her mouth. The brunette was then forcibly dragged away as she saw the world around her disappear, only to find herself now face in a different location altogether. They were behind a different set of buildings located in another part of town. But how had she…

"Stop being so loud." He felt odd saying that, often being the one told to keep it down.

"Don't touch me!" she shrieked. Why oh why had she requested Konoha for help!? Weren't their ninja supposed to be more responsible and mature than this? Hadn't she asked for the best they had? Isn't that what she paid for? Why couldn't the famous Jiraiya have shown up instead? He surely would have known how to act maturely around a beautiful young woman.

"Fine" He tossed her a bag she hadn't realized he took from her. "Then you carry your own stuff." He started walking away towards their next destination. He was sure enough she would follow without him having to coax her further.

And sure enough she did follow, with the will and spirit of the fire country burning brightly within her. "Oh no you don't. I paid for a ninja's services and I will get a ninja's service. You carry my stuff."'

"Sorry….hag…but me being your butler wasn't in the mission statement. You take your own stuff. Whatever you can't take, you leave behind." That was discord to her ears…she had soo much she needed to bring with her. She had hoped he would offer some kind of aid. The truth was the golden flash would need his arms free in case something did happen. As fast as he was….any lag time could become the difference between life and death.

"But…but…" Wait a minute…had he called her a hag. "You moron! How dare you insult me!!!!"

Again the golden flash just stuck out his tongue towards her in mild defiance to her attitude. He changed his mind again. No pretty woman was worth this much trouble. Not even for the money he was getting paid.

With that gesture he turned around and continued walking ahead leaving the flabbergasted brunette in shock. No one ever treated her that way…no one!

But the further he got away from her, the more she realized she didn't have much choice in the matter. She had required his assistance after all. She needed a bodyguard to take her safely from his village and back towards her home. It was crucial that she be allowed to reach without being intercepted by any potential enemies. The fate of the fire country rested upon it.

This verbal match was her loss. This time. She had a feeling there would be others.

However until then, she quickly dumped out some of her less necessary items to lighten her load and hurried toward the fleeting ninja all the while plotting her revenge. She eventually caught up and matched his pace, making sure to stay few feet behind his gaze.

She didn't want to have to look at his handsome face any longer. His piggish attitude hardly made up for his rebellious nature.

But this lead to an interesting problem. What do you do with your hired ninja bodyguard? Are you expected to make some kind of polite conversation while the two of you are in progress of completing a mission? Or did ninja's prefer the quite so they could be in tune with the environment around them. It didn't take much thought for the young woman to realize this one certainly liked to talk. He was loud enough for it and seemed to like the sound of his own voice. It was strangely…rugged.

She supposed she might as well establish some kind of peace with him now. She wouldn't want him to abandon the mission or give anything less than 100 to this mission. Sometimes swallowing ones ego was the safe bet.

"So….what do I call you? Ninja boy or something?" The boy was meant to injure his pride just a little. Sure enough and to her satisfaction, it did. There was nothing worse than a grown woman calling you a boy. Though the blond ninja felt he had already gotten away with too much today. It was best to just let it drop…for the moment that is.

"Min--" No stupid! ALIAS A-L-I-A-S!!. You are a freaking ninja. How could you possibly forget. Quick…think of something random! "Kazama. Arashi Kazama. "

"Arashi Kazama?" It sounded real enough. Though she wondered if a ninja would reveal their true identity to a client.

"Yeah and you would be…?" It was very weird to be given a mission where the client's identity was undisclosed. Something suspicious was going on here.

"Kus-..err Kaori." For the fist time since they met…she had a smile upon her face.

* * *

Naruto woke up from the intense dream he had just had. It was like he was envisioning the life events of another person though he seemed to see the world in the 3rd person. The sweat perspired down his forehead as he needed to come to grips with its intensity.

There would be little point in trying to go back to sleep. The sun would be up again in just a few hours and he didn't want to miss a single sunrise. Everything about that even seemed particularly surreal. The way the light can spread up and dissipate total darkness. It was amazing that few people seemed to share his appreciation of such events. No matter, it was there loss, even though he would have liked to have shared it with some friends.

He removed himself from his bed and made his way to the kitchen to get some water to drink. It was at that moment he heard someone barge through his door as if they didn't care that it was his apartment. Naruto watched as a groggy pink haired girl nearly stumbled her way about the apartment.

"Naruto!? What's wrong? Why are you up so early?" She was still using the back of her hand to rub her eyes and awaken her body to the ungodly hour.

"Sakura-chan? What are you doing here? Aren't you usually asleep now?" Naruto had learned the hard way not to mess with Sakura and her sleep. The last time he asked for her company at 4 in the morning, he had spent a good part of the day healing his wounds.

"I felt your chakra spike incredibly high. I thought you were hurt or something." She was charged with his care wasn't she? Naturally she would be worried if suddenly an insane amount of chakra was spouting from him, however brief a time. Truth be told the entire building should have been woken up by such a sharp rise and fall of power. It was almost bone chilling how much energy could come from him without his even breaking a sweat. Just what was the source of his inhuman abilities!?

"Sorry Sakura-chan. I just had a dream. It felt so real and weird that I just…..I dunno.." He lacked the words to describe the emotions he was feeling. It was the result of a terrible disease he had. Manhood.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She yawned a little after hearing his explanation. Normally she would rather wait before hearing about anyone's dreams, but in this case it might just have something to do with Naruto's lost memories.

"Nah, not right now Sakura-chan." He had a goofy smile on his face…which only alerted Sakura-chan that mischief of the worse kind was upon her. The Naruto kind.

"Naruto…what are you planning…?" She found her hand quickly grabbed as she was lead through Naruto's apartment….into his bedroom….right towards his bed…..and then past it out the window. He launched himself from the ledge with Sakura just trailing behind, too tired to try and put up much resistance.

The two didn't go very far, just to the roof of one of the taller buildings. There Naruto sat down and waited patiently as he stared out to the east with a look of concentration on his face.

"Naruto…what are we doing up here!?" Sakura looked more than a little flustered. She was still wearing her pajamas and being up top made her feel more than a little exposed despite the fact the overwhelming majority of the village was fast asleep.

"The sunrise! The sunrise will be up in a few hours. I always wanted you to see it with me." It was cute how he was still taking the little things in life and treating them as if each one was a miracle. Though she supposed in some regards…everything could be seen as a miracle the longer you think about it…but that's a topic for another time.

"Naruto..the sun wont rise for a few more hours and I'm tired and…."

Sakura was quickly interrupted with a puppy-dog faced Naruto standing mere inches away from her. "Please Sakura-chan? Pretty please?"

She had no choice but to relent to his demands. At least he would be waiting quietly up here for the sunrise instead of bouncing around his apartment and waking up the whole building. "Alright Naruto. I will wait here with you."

Because some things are just worth waiting for.

* * *

liked it, loved it, hated it, or just want to comment in some way, provide a responce if you care to. i'll keep updating to me hearts content either way but some encouragement is always nice. Anyways, thanks for the support so far guys. Until next time, take care. :-) 


	5. Almost Perfect

AN: Hi guys. Here is your next update. Just to clear up, this first portion is going to be events of the past. I didn't get much response last chapter, so I'm wondering if you guys like this whole past thing Im intertwining into the story or not.

Anyways, read the chapter, enjoy the chapter and thanks for sticking with me through the randomness of the story. I know parts will feel kind of rushed but...it is.. :-)

* * *

"Konoha ninjas are absolutely the worst!" shrieked the brunette haired blue eyed maiden who maintained a constant scowl on her face.

A familiar golden haired ninja pointed back accusingly at the crazed looking woman he had been appointed to guard over the last week or so. Frankly this whole thing had worn him down more than he would have liked. "You're….you're crazy lady! Absolutely batty!"

Kaori pulled up the sleeves on her pinkish purple attire and stomped forward slowly ready to beat the chakra out of her so called guardian. Honestly…didn't men think before they did…well anything? "You pervert! Super pervert! Mega super pervert!!!"

Arashi fell down on his behind as he felt somewhat intimidating by her commanding presence as Kaori stepped forward with the demonic intent that would rival the many tailed beasts. He raised his arms up in defense as he was left with only one method to avoid any pain. "It was an accident! I swear! I'd never-"

His face quickly met intimately with her fist as he was sent flying back several feet from the murderous intent that nearly consumed her body. May the powers that be have mercy on his soul.

But Kaori was nowhere near done with the punishment her guardian ninja had so obviously deserved. "Oh really….so you only accidentally followed me to the river….accidentally watched me strip out of my clothes…and then accidentally watched me bathe while you continued peeking!!!!" How stupid did he think she was?

At this point Arashi knew he had himself in a bind. Whether he lied or told the truth it would lead to the same amount of hurt. No point in getting into more trouble than he was already in. "Well no….I mean…uhh…"

"PERVERT!!!!" She delivered another near fatal blow sending him back another 20 feet until his body collided with a tree. Damn, that last one looked like it could have beaten her personal best.

"It's part of my freaking job you old hag! I had to make sure you wouldn't get attacked there. Besides, you weren't even that good looking to watch!"

Here lies Arashi. A man beloved by many. One who would have become a Hokage one day had he only kept his mouth shut.

Yes, that would be a most appropriate epitaph for anyone who had said that last line. The clock must be quickly ticking as the strings of fate eagerly anticipated cutting his life cord.

She leapt onto his frail frame and began pounding away at him to release her pent up rage. It was all his fault why she had experienced hell this past week! It was his fault that she was separated from her family like this! It had to be his fault why her parents where in the dire situation she was in! Him and all the other Konoha ninjas! It had to be there fault, because they were merely supposed to be tools and there was no one else to blame.

"I hate you! I hate you I hate you I hate you!!!" Her tantrums weakened in ferocity as she continued her onslaught upon him while tears were running through her eyes. All the while Arashi refused to escape from her beatings no matter how easy it would have been for him. It was clear now he wasn't the true source of all her anger. She had a seething past that had finally caught up to her. Kaori needed this release to maintain her connections to sanity and he would let her use him for such a purpose. Because many years ago he had encountered similar pain and knew what it felt like to be totally helpless.

But what was it that hurt her soul so much? Why had this last little miscommunication sent her over the top and ignite the spark that hid within her? All he could assume was that it related to this mission he was assigned to. Arashi wasn't allowed all the details given his limited role in these events, but he now had a greater appreciation that this wasn't just a simple transport/guardian assignment.

Finally the young girl stopped trying to hurt her protector altogether and instead fell upon his chest crying as she now wanted little more than to hold him and to simultaneously be held. Anything…anything so she would just stop feeling so alone right now. It had nothing to do with the fact that she found him rather attractive once you get past his rugged exterior. It didn't even have anything to do with the fact Kaori had become somewhat entranced with his childlike behavior mixed with his rare but cherished moments of maturity.

Yes Kaori would tell herself that none of these things were the reasons why she held onto him so fiercely. Hey it wasn't her fault. Arashi was the ninja. Let him be the one to always look underneath the underneath.

Although she did like the way he allowed her to bury her nose deep within the nook of his neck. And the way he seemed to know just how to soothe her long brown strands of wavy hair. It was a gentle reminder that for all his childishness, he did in fact know how to be caring. More importantly it was a reminder that he truly was…a person. More than just a ninja.

Kaori and Arashi stayed like that for more moments than either cared to count. Their journey so far had been long and trying on both persons and this particular day was just too pleasant to engage in any more fights. The sun was out shining but it was comfortable under the shade of the tree Arashi was previously knocked into. The wind was slight but comforting to the skin and pleasant to the noses as the fragrance of fresh wild flowers wafted throughout. With their eyes closed and their desires currently quenched, it was almost…perfect.

"Am I….really that unpleasant to look at?" It was honestly a question she never would have predicted herself asking before. She had that confidence before as more men than she would care for would throw a glance in her direction, regardless of how unwanted that attention was.

This of course left Arashi in a yet another pickle. He naturally was drawn to her exotic beauty. She had a slim figure which was nicely outlined by her open belly top and wavy silk-like pants. Her choice in rather exotic clothing was not something the golden flash casually dismissed, but rather he was too focused upon the way she could flip flop from a violent temper to a heart warming smile. He was too focused on how the look within her eyes contained a laughing nature yet held a hint of sadness that could never be snuffed out. Had he paid more attention to her mannerisms and less on how her hair flapped about with a subtle breeze, then perhaps he would have had the clues necessary to pinpoint her true identity.

At the same time he obviously didn't want to admit he found her so pleasing to the eyes. Not after all that bickering they started with initially. Looks like it was time to make use of those shinobi skills. Tactical diversion.

"I…honestly didn't look." Perfect, he would just tell the truth about the earlier incident.

Kaori perked up at that comment and picked herself off of him just enough to look questioningly into his eyes. That couldn't be right. He couldn't possibly have been that noble. Then again…he wasn't looking in her direction when she had noticed his presence.

"I told you. I just needed to make sure no one attacks you then." He didn't add that he had to make sure no unsuspecting lucky traveler may just so happen to stumble upon such a sight.

Kaori felt wicked again as she further pressed her body against him, completely aware of the effects it would have on any hormone driven man in their twenties as she wore her sexiest smile to match those innocent blue eyes. "Did you want to…?"

Arashi's mind seemed to simultaneously freeze and accelerate. His world was spinning around in circles even though he was tightly pinned down under this tree. His heart couldn't stop beating but still felt like it needed a jump start if he was to maintain any form of life. It truly was a conundrum of opposites. His death had been handed too him again prematurely. It looks like he would fall back upon the tried and tested wisdom that never seemed to fail. Oh yes, the truth shall forever set you free.

"Yes…" Yep. He was a dead one alright. Maybe they would bury him somewhere nice. Near the Hokage mountain maybe. Kaori could come by once and a while and leave a few flowers in memory of her cold blooded kill. That would be nice.

Nicer still was the sensation of two lips pressed against his cheeks dangerously close to his lips as suddenly the turmoil that stormed within his mind came to a blinding halt. It was by far the greatest thing he had ever felt and more than worth the earlier beatings he had encountered.

"Thank you…for being honest at least." Hell yes! Truth! Go truth!! Honesty is always the best policy!!!'

Kaori pulled herself off of Arashi and began to slowly walk away from him back towards the trail. "Come on Arashi-kun. We better get going." Though Arashi's eyes were hypnotized by the ever subtle yet mesmerizing sway of her hips that became the focus of Arashi's eyes.

This was the best…mission…ever…

* * *

"Naruto you pervert!!!!" Naruto's body was flung clear across the great expanse of the hidden village of Konoha as the mistreated youth learned just how alike Sakura and the fifth Hokage truly were.

He landed upside down near the wall that separated the ninja village from the outside wilderness with eyes spinning in confusion. Naruto's face would tell the tale of the many bruises from this last encounter with blood trickling down from his nose and an eye almost swollen shut.

Though he would never say it, the injuries were certainly worth the image he had encountered.

The good news about being knocked away so far was that at least it would take some time for Sakura to make her way towards the blond ninja and unleash her unholy rage upon him once more. Maybe in that time he would be allowed to heal his injuries just enough to survive the next onslaught that he knew there was no escape from.

Just as these thoughts appeared in Naruto's barely conscious mind did Sakura flash right in front of him.

'_Oh crap.'_

There was no more grace to her step, but rather a pure sense of violence and a desire to break something. What something you may be wondering right now? Naruto naturally. He just…he just…

"You pervert! How dare you peek on me like that!" There was almost a permanent tick mark on her forehead as her eyes seemed to be glazed over red. The wrong move would have been to say it made her look even more appealing than normal. The even worse thing to say was.

"I didn't see everything Sakura-chan. Just your b-"

"GAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" She focused up quite a bit of chakra into her fists, well aware of the damage this ninja could take as well as dish out. If her sensei should ask, she would just say something like it might have helped jog his memory back or something. That or she would mention what he was doing when Sakura caught him. Then Tsunade would do far far worse.

Sakura released the stored energy and punched Naruto right through the Great Konoha Wall.

Naruto was sent skidding even further into the forest and decimated various trees that would normally have stopped him from going any further had the punch not contained so much power. It was his luck that he finally crashed into one particularly ancient tree that cracked when Naruto collided against it. Had he gone any further he probably would have been declared a missing min.

Just seconds after Naruto had come to a complete stop had his body engaged itself in a rapid healing process to remove the scraps he had collected in just a few moments. He pulled himself up and dusted off his pants and jacket before stretching out his muscles.

"I'm sorry Sakura-chan. Sensei just said we were going to do training and research. I didn't realize he meant…you know."

Sakura stood up on one of the mighty branches of the tree that had finally stopped Naruto. She had been feeding chakra into the plant's fibers to reinforce its strength. Some might have said it was to stop him from flying any further since it would be a pain to bring him back. Others would say it would make the last tree hurt even more than the rest. Only Sakura…and perhaps Naruto…would know the truth of that.

"Naruto…I know you don't remember a lot of things but you should know better!" she jumped down from the tree and stood beside him and helped pat the dust off his clothes. She started to focus some chakra into her palms to restore Naruto from his injuries but was surprised to see that they were already taken care of. But…that was impossible. How could he…

"I'm sorry Sakura-chan. It's what sensei said to do. Wouldn't you listen to your sensei if they said to do something?" Sakura stood solemnly while the wind played with her hair, tossing it around in a carefree manner that so resembled Naruto's personality. It was true, she was a stickler for listening to people in authority. Naruto however appeared to have a far different personality.

"That's fine Naruto. Just…promise me you won't do it again. Or talk about it ever. Or do anything super perverted like that again, ok?" Sakura continued to inspect his body to look for some kind of injury upon him, or at least the presence of one in the past. But to her amazement there was nothing. His skin looked and felt as new as that of a newborns. Most ninja's by his age were littered with scars that served as decorated badges from missions past.

However Naruto didn't have any marks upon him. Not even from his amazing feat where he ended the ninja war some months back that had otherwise been going on for years. A ninja of his strength would have been sent on the most dangerous missions resulting in harm that would cause even the most experienced medic ninja severe nausea. Yet his body was clean. Tsunade-sama would have to hear about this. Maybe she would have the answers she sought.

"I promise Sakura-chan. But I did manage to develop a new technique." This caught the pink haired shinobi's attention immediately. What attack could have possibly developed by looking at naked girls in the hot spring?

"It's a modification of the transformation jutsu. Hehe. Ero-sennin helped me make it."

Sakura's mind went into overdrive as she tried to determine just what the hell the blond haired ninja was talking about. Wait a minute….naked girls, bath house…a perverted frog hermit….transformation technique...

Oh…dear….god….

"Naruto you idiot!" She lunged forward to slam Naruto with a punch. Only to feel her hand restrained by the same person she intended to hit. Except now he stood behind her faster than Sakura's eyes could follow.

"Hehehe. You have to be faster than that to stop me Sakura-chan," Naruto stuck out his tongue playfully and pecked her on the cheek. Hey it was worth it. He couldn't get hurt if he restrained her monstrous strength.

Sakura was fuming and taught Naruto a lesson for his insolence. Just because her hands were restrained hardly meant she was defenseless. She concentrated the chakra into her leg and did probably one of the most childish yet effective attacks she could come up with. Why you may ask? When in Rome…

She lifted up her foot and sent it slamming back down. However instead of aiming for the ground to create a massive earthquake, she aimed for Naruto's foot which she easily caught.

With the pain traveling up and down his entire person Naruto let out of a howl of a scream. It started out human enough as he made use of all the oxygen stored in his lungs…but then something changed in his voice. Something almost evil. His howling became something that stunned Sakura to the point her body would no longer move as she continued to hear a voice dripping with demonic intent originating from someone who looked and acted as harmless as just about any civilian.

Then Naruto did something that stunned her. He fell collapsed to the floor looking somewhat exhausting and no longer paid attention to the pain that should have been plaguing his foot.

Sakura immediately rushed over to his fallen form to find his eyes were shut though she could see they were rapidly moving in several directions. He was battling with something in his mind. She had seen this with many patients who came her way. Sometimes the worst pain was the kind a medic like her was helpless to cure. Inner turmoil.

"Naruto…? Naruto are you ok?" A little tear came down her eye as she saw the person whose care she was in charge with looked helpless. Ever since he had awoken in the hospital he had never shown any sign of his power faltering. Now something….something she had no words to describe had at least momentarily harmed this boy. Her last little attack on him wasn't even that strong. She didn't intend to do him any major harm. What was happening?

"Naruto? Please wake up….I'm sorry for hurting you." She shook his shoulders slightly hoping that would release him from the battle he was undergoing inside. It never worked in any of the movies she saw but now anything was worth a try. However much to her surprise his eyes shot open but they weren't the familiar cool blue she was accustomed to. Instead they were blood red with a feral strip replacing the pupil that normally resided there.

The look in his eyes…it truly frightened her.

Except as quickly as she noticed its presence did they disappear from her sight to be replaced with the carefree blue she adored. Had she really seen that just a few seconds ago? Or perhaps her mind was playing tricks on her? Truthfully anything was possible with this boy. Just as long as he was fine.

"Hey Sakura-chan…"

"Naruto, are you ok? I'm sorry about that just now…I didn't think it would…"

"It's ok Sakura-chan. I'll forgive you. I was going to return the picture I took but I guess I will take that as repayment." With a smile Naruto jumped up as if nothing happened and sprinted back towards the village.

This time it was Sakura's body that nearly froze as she registered the words Naruto had just spoken.

"Picture….?" That bloody mega super pervert! He would die! He would die and she was so going to kill him. After…a painfully long and torturing chase. Naruto would surely suffer.

She pried herself off the ground and enhanced her speed with her chakra to spring after the blond ninja. Though she was angry about his misdeeds, there was a smile upon her face.

Being out here, taking care of Naruto...it was new, exciting. It broke apart her normally humdrum days of healing the injured ninjas that came in from the front lines. The constant procession of death and pain coming her way had dulled her senses and mind to the world around her as the joy in her heart had slowly been sucked away. Perhaps that was why she was assigned a mission away from the hospital like this.

Simply put, Naruto brought joy. He had shown her how to act goofy and carefree and enjoy the day as it comes. He showed her that there were things in the world, however simple, that needed to be cherished.

Most importantly, he valued her. Many people had befriended her over the years but never had she come across someone who truly appreciates her for the work she does, as well as the person she truly is.

Being out here with Naruto on a beautiful day, with the wind blowing and not a care in the world, to Sakura…it was almost…perfect.

* * *

Thanks for reading the chapter. I hope you got at least a little enjoyment out of it. As always feel free to leave your comments, questions, critiques and reviews. Otherwise thanks again for the support and ill talk to you all during the next update. Until next time, take care. :-) 


	6. Windows to the Soul

AN: Its been a while, I know. Thanks to everyone who has stayed loyal and awaited this chapter. I hope you all like it. Im using this chapter to kind of speed things along so maybe its a little interesting...maybe not. :-)

As always, i dont own naruto.

* * *

Kaori stumbled backwards with eyes almost permanently widened by the shock of her current situation. She trembled like a cornered bunny that knew it was moments away from being devoured by the vicious fox hunting it down knowing that the fear made the situation that much more notable.

The shadow loomed over her with an eerie aura and snatched away any shrieks for help that tried to come out of her mouth. But the shadow alone was nothing compared the menace that stood before her with eyes radiating chaos. It was all she could do to tear away her gaze away from that person's face but it would be a foolhardy move as her rich brown eyes just fell upon a blood stained Kunai still dripping from a recent kill.

There was no one who could come to her aid now. She was alone and almost completely defenseless. Why you may ask? What happened to her ninja protector that was supposed to ensure her safety all the way to her next destination?

That was the very person now standing in front of her.

Arashi's hair swayed around with the torrential amount of chakra he summoned from a battle just finished. His face now lacked those joyful expressions and childlike demeanor only to be replaced with a look that was more fitting to a ninja with his age and experience.

Had he now betrayed her? The one Arashi was assigned to protect? Of course not. In fact as per the duty of any Konoha ninja he maintained his assignment and defeated the assailants who wished Kaori harm.

The problem? Now Kaori had seen a sign of his life that she secretly knew must have existed somewhere but never had experienced nor the willingness to admit that, as a ninja it must have existed.

The numbers the enemy had sent was astonishing to say the least. Enough to force young Arashi to use a technique that was deemed forbidden, but he just couldn't help himself from learning it anyways. The shadow clone technique.

He had violated a rule set by the 3rd Hokage himself yet it was necessary in order to protect his charge.

However the enemy was strong. Too strong for him to continue fighting them with so many clones using more…conventional skills. He would have to show just how desperate he was becoming by using a maneuver he had yet to finish. One too far from completion to even merit a name.

All one could say about it is that it allowed him to appear in a new location faster than the mind itself could register it.

Unfortunately its 'under construction' status created terrible side effects for the future fourth hokage to deal withy in the meantime. One of those side effects was an unnatural amount of suppressed aggression.

It took all of his self-control to keep from lashing out against the frail potential victim in front of him. It was his curse to bear the full knowledge that his actions might be wrong yet he lacked the power to stop it. But he would try…try and hope that this time no one would be harmed.

"Arashi….Arashi-kun…..what…what are you doing? It's me…remember. Kaori." If possible the smile upon the fire ninja's face grew even more wicked with the statement but a change occurred this time. A change that made this use of the technique different from every time. His expression changed and his violent nature faltered, if but for a second.

Though she was no ninja, she was able to catch that crack in his otherwise formidale defense. What Kaori was seeing now, wasn't the true nature of the one who had been protecting her for so many days. Whatever had happened in the battle that occurred to swiftly for her to recall, had brought about this transformation in personality in him.

Kaori was frightened upon the realization that she was being attacked on her travels. Though that was nothing compared to seeing a man who enjoyed and loved life so much lose that bright glow that made him different from what ninjas were 'supposes to be.'

"Remember…? Kaori? The hot girl you spied on while she was bathing?" Another quick falter in his persona. It was starting to work and well at that. With each falter she noted the amount of power whirring about him seemed to lesson significantly. She would have to remember to ask him about that strange source of a ninja's power when she brought him back to the world of the sane and good. And she would succeed. Kaori gave her word to that and would never go against it.

She managed to build up more and more of her confidence as the time passed and as she could see Arashi himself fighting against…himself. She had to bring out the person she knew him to be…no matter how unconventional her methods may be. "The girl you "let" walk in front of you because you like the way she sways. Yeah...that's me buster."

Arashi's look was almost embarrassed for a brief moment but more importantly his aggressive power was almost completely suppressed for a few moments. All she had to do was goad him a little bit more and there would be no denying the fact she had actually saved him...and herself in the process. There is no denying that.

"The same girl that has been eyeing you every time you had to bend over whenever she "accidentally" dropped something." Kaori put on her most innocent face and brought a finger to her lips as she looked at him with her soft puppy dog brown eyes that sparkled despite the dangerous situation.

"Arashi-kun…if you hurt me…then that means you can't kiss m-"

He was gone from her sight before she even fully realized it. However she did notice that before when she was fallen upon the floor, now she was standing. Before she had been suppressing her fear of Arashi's changed sate and now her eyes were tightly shut, but not from fear, but surprise.

Upon her lips she felt a slight but rough pressure against them. A few moments passed before Kaori could convince herself that she needed to pull away from the kiss. She had to remind herself…she was just bringing him out of a chaotic state in order to save herself. He was a ninja…it couldn't work…it just couldn't.

Yet when she broke the kiss he had initiated and opened her eyes to the site in front of her she immediately started to doubt her previous thoughts. His eyes were back to normal and shone with their innate brilliance. He had that almost goofy expression and smile upon his face as Arashi too realized just what had happened. He was human. Real. And despite the last minute transgressions….protected her from those that wished her harm.

Maybe…

To heck with status. Much to Arashi's surprise but not to his displeasure, this time she was the one to kiss him.

* * *

This was the monster all of Konoha had long feared but refused to acknowledge for over two decades. This was what lurked underneath the shadows and threatened to go bump in the night for countless years. Standing in front of Sakura and radiating demonic red chakra was none other than…Konoha's Secret.

It was impure and evil with no semblance of rational thought about it. If death was supposed to be an endless lack of feeling, how was it possible that the pink haired ninja could now feel death all around her?

There were very few times in her life that Sakura would admit to being afraid. She had to be tougher than that for the very reason that she was a pink-haired female ninja. Nothing else could give such a feeling of weakness. That was why she always tried so hard to be stronger better and smarter than everyone else. Her self-image demanded it.

However now was not the time to act tough because now Sakura was too afraid to act. So what if she appeared weak afraid or timid just now? It was the damn truth.

Though she was a medical ninja who had seen the most horrific and unusual cases brought to her, never before had she seen an enemy ninja ripped apart into so many pieces in such a brutal fashion, using nothing more than raw chakra.

His eyes were glazed over red and hid any potential pupils from her sight. Though she was afraid of what stood before her, Sakura's body had locked itself of all movement and forced her to take in the raw symbol of destruction in front of her.

Years of ninja training were put to waste as her body fought back at every fight or flight impulse that reverberated throughout her. There was no motion, no chance of escape.

She wanted the boy she had come to know to be brought back to her, not this…this thing that stood before her. She was sure that this creature's eyes would have been able to pierce through her own gaze and dive deeply through the depths of her eyes and into her soul to torment it for an eternity, except this was a demon and those lacked souls. That was why there was no guilt in there actions, no desires. They merely exist and act as the moment demands.

However Naruto hadn't started out that way. Not by a longshot. He had healed quite nicely over the course of the past few weeks and fully regained his otherwise diminished strength. Yet despite his recovery he never seemed to regain the understanding of the world a man of his age should have had. It was always quite limited to the things he experienced since their paths have crossed.

Having had so little exposure to the world and being such a powerful asset to the Hidden Village of Konoha, he could not be set aside to squander away his power. Not while there were missions to be done.

Was it forcing him to pick a life that many times led towards pain and suffering? Yes. But at the same token he would experience a brotherhood; camaraderie rarely found elsewhere in the world and therefore gave him experiences few others were privileged to come across.

They had eased him into at first. Naruto's power was unquestionable and his mastery over the mysterious nature of chakra was admirable yet he had yet to fight along side a team for the accomplishment of a crucial objective.

Yes Naruto had…at least in part ended the war and routed Konoha's remaining enemies, but he was truly not alone in that act. A darkness that lurked deep within him had been alerted of the chance to create a bloodbath and release its lust for killing once more after having been denied its demonic satisfaction of the moment for nearly twenty years.

One question remained from that event however. A concern that rested heavily upon the current Hokage's mind. While the monster inside the man was released, was the man then oblivious to the emotions running through the demon? Did the man take a liking to the killing, or despised by it? Did he even know what really happened for those few moments after kissing a pink haired girl and jumping off a cliff to do battle?

The only way to truly find out was to place Naruto back in situations that required him to make use of his skills.

That's probably why he was being handed S ranked missions that were called Bs.

Most of it had gone smoothly enough. It looked like your simple snatch and grab from an enemy stronghold. The item in question looked and felt unremarkable enough. So then why all the fuss?

Who knows….who cares. Certainly not the ninjas assigned to steal the item in question.

The end result is a battalion of veteran ninjas that has already proven their worth in many prior battles had led chase to the unusually brightly colored two man team responsible for this theft.

One by one the pursuing ninjas were defeated as Naruto and Sakura continued their escape, but a single fact did not escape Sakura's mind. With each enemy that was felled, the next attack was including more enemies of a stronger level. The only problem was she failed to understand why they would waste such valuable man-power.

Then it hit her…

No, not the answer to that last puzzle on her mind, but the trap that they ninjas were slowly driving them towards.

She was pummeled through the forest with a power only one like herself should have been able to possess. Her body became like a rag doll as it treated even the mightiest trees like they were mere twigs that were inappropriately set along her trajectory.

While she was a powerhouse of a ninja, an experienced medical nin, and superb in the mystifying arts of genjitsu, she did have a weakness. Her defense to oncoming attacks and resiliency in that area was…lacking.

Naruto was quite another story. Almost immediately did the tails of the accursed demon that resided within him explode out as it angrily searched out for enemy ninja to destroy. One by one were they scooped up in tails made of chakra whose contact alone caused their body to cripple, but not quite enough to kill. That would have made prying apart their limbs pointless.

The scariest part about all this mayhem? Naruto's eyes were still partially blue. Was it possible that the same carefree boy who became overjoyed by things as natural as sunrises also delighted in this senseless violence? There was one saving grace. With each passing moment the redness that was creeping throughout had finally consumed all the joy and spirit that was found there until his pupils were replaced with fox like slits that decided only mayhem should exist here and now. At least he was acting as a demon while consumed by one.

Nearly unopposed did the man-demon do away with those who would otherwise deny him the opportunity to live and act in the moment.

Until there was but one.

A man mysterious in nature but undeniably powerful in skill in knowledge. How could one make such proclamations about this remaining enemy ninja? Simple

He had encountered such…monstrosities before and knew exactly how to deal with such troublesome inconveniences.

The last remaining enemy had a smirk upon his face despite the fact he witnessed his comrades experience a horrific death. Could he have saved them? Probably…but one rarely saved bait when there was access to more.

With the last man defeated this stranger finally put himself into the midst of the battle and engaged the demon in a fight that should surely lead to his death if one was to compare raw power. But this ninja…whose name need not be mentioned, had a technique. One that could limit the strength of a tailed beast and bring it down to a far more manageable level.

With its application Naruto was far easier to deal with, yet a menace nonetheless. The last remaining ninja was experienced enough to know who would be the victor from this encounter even though the fight was far from over. There was no need to go on with it just yet. He would need to make a hasty retreat. Which for him…was quite easily done.

However with his fleeing of the scene, so did the effect of his technique and the bijuu was allowed to return itself to its former state. Its eyes, now pupilless, scanned the multitude of bodies around to search for the one chakra signature that still burned brightly in this scene of death. That was when it landed upon her. In all her pink glory and witness of all the events that had come to pass. Sakura.

He approached her with uncanny speed and malice…and it was that malice that denied her limbs the right to movement.

She always knew she would die someday. Perhaps as part of a mission. Though she had always secretly hoped that she would become one of the ninja's that allowed time itself to be the force that claimed her life. It seemed such a wish was denied.

Naruto now stood before her and used his various tails to grab her limbs and pull her upright and towards him and the demonic chakra that consumed the otherwise happy go lucky boy.

Though she was frozen with fear…her mind was racing of thoughts of how this all made sense in the end. How Naruto never truly seemed to understand the world. Why everything felt knew to him. Why had had none of the skills even the worst amnesia patients had. He was a vessel. An urban legend in ninja villages used to keep naughty boys in line.

Except what stood just inches in front of her…was certainly no urban legend.

Then she noticed it. What she should have noticed many moments ago when she felt her body grabbed and forced upright.

The red chakra….it didn't burn her. Her skin didn't boil and peel apart like many of the others she had witnessed. It was almost…cool to the touch. A very misleading fact in deed.

The eyes that looked at her now were exploding with a familiar shade of blue as she could feel the weakening grasp of the tails about her. Sakura could tell that he was struggling to speak freely but would find the might to do so.

"Sakura…..Sakura…please." He was begging her. For mercy…for help…for love maybe. The irony of it all. The one who had killed many was begging for his life from one who had saved many.

The look in his eyes had returned to those of the one she had met so many months ago. The look of the ninja who had stolen a kiss from her before defeating an invading army. The look of a man lost within a world he had never seen before and was struggling to understand. The look that was undeniably Naruto.

"Please….Sakura…..help…me…" He tried to smile as the canines were receding back into nothingness and his power level was clearly dropping.

But the fact that Naruto was getting weaker wasn't why Sakura felt safer. She had reclaimed her lost confidence but more importantly would show Naruto her consistent compassion for him. She smiled a little to relieve him of the worry and the pain that was clear in his expression as she finally was able to move her arms and wrapped them tightly around his body…red chakra be damned.

She brought her lips close to his ears and whispered softly and soothingly into them. "Its ok Naruto…I'm here. I'll help."

She leaned back slightly and placed a soft tender though quick kiss upon his lips to relieve his face of the unbecoming frown that was upon it. "I'm here Naruto…I'm here…Everything will be ok."

And that was how Sakura became privy to yet another one of Konoha's secrets.

* * *

Thought i would be nice and not end on a massive cliffhanger. I thought about it and the story could end here technically. I am considering it but it probably wont end here so dont worry about that.

As always your comments, reviews, questions, etc are greatly appreciated.

Until next time, take care.


	7. Secrets

AN: It has been a while, I know. Thank you to anyone who has been consistently reading the story and providing me with input. i dunno, i read chp 367 and got a little inspired to keep writing here. So i guess this story continues on a little bit longer.

Odds are i will contradict myself in a few places cause its been a while since i started this. I went back to chp. 4 and fixed some things to make it match up to chp 367 a bit more.

Anyways thanks for everything guys and enjoy. As always i dont own naruto.

* * *

The further this little facade got, the more annoyed the experienced ninja became. It was obvious the other had little to no idea on what she was doing.

Is this really what constituted for help these days? When he had asked for it he hardly thought the service he would get would be soo abysmal.

Though now there was a stronger burning desire, especially since he knew her little secret. That desire increased with every passing moment to reveal what skeletons she had hidden away, but it would go against his way to do it in such a blatant manner.

Poor Arashi remained seated Indian style with his one damaged hand sticking out. Kaori held it delicately in her hands as she continued to survey the harm that was inflicted upon it.

Whatever technique this blond haired ninja was developing, it looked like one that was plainly a double edged sword. Sadly the blade attacking him appeared to be far more dangerous than the one destined for the enemy.

Rarely had she ever seen an arm so badly burned away to the point skin no longer covered it. It was once said that to see your muscle and bone in such plain light after a battle meant that you were surely doomed to pass away. Luckily ninja couldn't afford to live by such myths these days. Not any longer.

Though he was hardly frightened by the damage or the obvious severity of the wound, his whole arm couldn't stop shaking, no matter how badly his mind willed it to do so. It was like the very nerves of his cells were shot and refused to obey any commands other than their own.

The outcome wasn't surprising. It had happened just about every time he had attempted this technique. There was an element he was missing, some key that needed to be added that his mind couldn't reveal to himself just as of yet.

And poor him, without his sensei, now stuck with this girl and her ill kept secret.

'Arashi' knew who she really was.

And what she really was……was certainly not a medical ninja.

With his good hand he rested his chin upon a closed fist and looked on with extreme annoyance as Kaori attempted to learn the mysterious ways of the elusive….bandage. Her willingness to help seemed like a simple enough wish to grant. What harm could someone possibly do with mere gauze?

The next thing he knew however, several roles from his medical supply had gone to waste and Kaori ended up wrapping herself up more than the injured appendage.

"You look like a mummy." His voice was calm and drool, clearly annoyed with this new outcome of events. If he had things his way his arm would have been patched up and the two would have reached their destination by now. Then again…as soon as they reach, the two may have to…

With a gasp from shock Kaori quickly let go of Arashi's hand and let it smack unto the ground as she raised her now unburned hand to her mouth. "Arashi! We have yet to do anything that would make me a mommy!" She'd have bonked him on the head if he wasn't injured enough. Oh well, she gets to bank that one. Fair is fair after all.

With a slight roll in his eyes Arashi sighed and picked up his arm again and held it out. Without any hesitation Kaori took it and began once again with a shoddy repair job. There was no getting out of this bad treatment so he may as well get it over with. "I meant the kind from horror films. You know…temples…tombs….walking dead…wrapped in bandages."

She truly was a mess being nearly covered with that never ending white cloth. Arashi however couldn't help but find it made her look just a little bit cuter, especially with that determined look on her face. As Kaori had mentioned to him before, she would never go back on her word.

"Then again if you are so eager to get THAT look I'm more than willing to-" A swift bonk on the head put the future fourth to silence as he now had yet another wound to tend to. Something about this relationship couldn't be good for his health. Was love supposed to be this painful?

Then again could their be love when both parties are so willingly deceiving the other on their true identities?

Who are we to analyze and criticize the ways and rituals of the ninja…

To show she was hardly upset, Kaori placed a soft kiss upon the top of his wild blondish mane and sat down next to him, this time getting serious about the bandaging work. In almost a flash she had finished what turned out to be a rather adequate job. Suspicion confirmed. He indeed now knew who she really was in her entirety. So explains the mission, and why he of all people was the one selected to complete it.

Arashi's eyes got a little wider as he now wished to take things to a level that was forbidden by an unwritten ninja code. The vows of secrecy and silence. To heck with them. He was young and in love. Some things were more important.

"You're a ninja…"

Kaori simply froze as he spoke those words. They seemed to echo through her body reverberating back and forth within herself. She had slipped somewhere. How would this play for the outcome.

"How did you…"

"It wasn't obvious at first. You aren't bad at keeping that little trait a secret, but you should know that a heavily trained ninja would have been able to figure that much out." She was a ninja that had requested the aid of a more advanced ninja. It should have been obvious to her an alias would have been figured out. Yet given these times and her situation, there was no time to think. She needed protection, fast.

The Yellow Flash of Konoha was the obvious choice.

Never in her wildest dreams did she realize what twists their meeting would take.

"Humph. I meant what clued you in….idiot." He had toyed with her for a little so it only felt right for her to insult him on occasion. She couldn't let him have the upper hand.

"When I was peeping on you before. You couldn't have noticed my presence. I wasn't completely hidden but no civilian would have spotted me unless they had significant chakra training." Oops…

Arashi heard a quick cracking of knuckles as he now looked upon a fiery brunette haired woman. Except something strange happened the longer he looked. It seemed to….redden. Crap. A disguise of her hair color. Or wait…was he under a genjutsu the entire time? A minor one yes but impressive nonetheless. Though that was hardly enough distraction from what he knew was to come.

"You said you didn't see anything!" With a slam Arashi was now sent flying back towards some bushes with a new bruise on his chin and a dizzy look in his eyes. This woman was trouble…and he loved it.

However two poofs could be heard moments before Arashi's body should have collided with the bushes. A log had been substituted in and now the blond ninja stood behind Kaori with his arms wrapped around her.

He leaned down a little just to whisper gently into her ear. "I love red hair." It was so fiery and wild….he had to have it…now.

His arms started to explore her figure from bottom and worked its way up; slowly…sensually…exploring areas he knew were otherwise forbidden. Soon he had made his way up till both hands were gently stroking her hair sending jolts down Kaori's spine.

It was here however that he stopped. First things first. Always. "My name. My real name is Minato Namikaze."

Kaori spun around feeling quite impassioned by the recent display, adding little heed to how miraculously his hand had healed over the past few moments and allowed to touch her in such a suggestive manner. She stood upon her tippy toes and leaned in to give Minato a more than welcome soft kiss upon his lips as she continued to watch his expression. He had risked much by saying his real name when all anyone ever used were Aliases. Real names were almost all forgotten in times of Shinobi wars. The least she could do was extend him the same courtesy.

"Kushina….Kushina Uzumaki." With a smile however, she knew she had a bombshell that would forever change the way Minato looked at her.

"And I'm not just a ninja…" She had a smirk upon his face. Wait till this one heard her true little secret.

"I know." Damn that cocky bastard. Couldn't he at least pretend!?

"What!? How could you…"

"It was easy enough to figure out once you put the clues together. Truthfully it's a guess, but If I'm right, that would make you a-"

* * *

Naruto was once again on top of the world. The life…the friends he had made….the first love he had acquired.

She had accepted him. For the demon he was…for the reason he was taken away as a child and sent to live out the majority of his life confined within the cage. Oh the irony…Konoha caged a would be menace that in it contained a demon. Except this menace was free….and wasn't the hellbringer the older leaders thought he would be.

And now that Sakura had accepted Naruto for the demon he was…it was her mission to prove he was anything but that.

An unusual method true…but Sakura was both highly intelligent and a skilled medical ninja. The most painful ailments were the ones that harassed the mind and Naruto's was one needing undivided attention. Part of her training included the ability to heal such a troubled mind and this would but her skills to the test.

First she had to come down to his level of thinking. Though Naruto constantly acted and behaved like a child half the time, and a growing adult the other…he still felt himself to be a thing to be despised. He rarely showed it in the time since his release. He was too busy living the life that had been denied to him, experiencing the things he had only heard about in books.

But that sadness was always there .That feeling he would never stop feeling alone…except…

Except when he was with Sakura. That was maybe why he loved her so quickly. When he saw her…..alone out there in the battlefield, ready to head out to find one living soul in a battlefield amidst with death and destruction…..

He wished to be that one soul she found and saved. He wanted to be the one pulled away from that deadly isolation and healed by her touch. Maybe that was why he was so brash in kissing her in just their first meeting. He simply couldn't help it. He wanted to be noticed. He wanted to feel alive.

And now his wish was granted. He was romancing her in the ways of love and was carefully guided by his favorite auntie Rin.

Rin had kept a watchful eye over the blossoming relationship between Naruto and Sakura and couldn't help but to remember the times she too used to chase after someone she loved.

Thankfully Sakura had showed signs of returning the boy's feeling much faster than Kakashi did for her.

But there was another reason why she was so fond of this little boy. A reason she now felt needed to be revealed to him.

Anxiously Rin made her way to the apartment that had been set aside for Naruto as her mind waged war with itself whether or not she should reveal this to him yet. Naruto had the world going from him. A village that was learning to respect him, a girl that was coming to love him, and sensei's that were guiding him.

Would her news be a blessing…or a curse.

The answer was easy. Nothing…no matter how bad was ever bad news to him. He was the kind to always find the bright side, the solution to the unanswerable problem, just like his father.

Her footsteps hurried her though until she stood just outside his apartment. This was the moment. Now or never. It never even occurred to her that Naruto might not be home. That would be impossible because the setting and the timing was finally just right.

Unannounced, Rin just opened the door to the apartment and let herself in to an extremely touching scene.

There was Naruto, lying down like a king on his sofa, using a very blossomed kunoichi's lap as his pillow. Naruto's eyes were closed as a look of peace had entranced his face. Sakura continued to look keenly down at his closed eyes while one of her hands started gently stroking his hair while another rested across his forehead.

Rin could sense it, that soothing green chakra that was emanating from her hands. A smile graced her lips. It was a medical technique. What its purpose was she couldn't be sure but that blessed look on Naruto's face showed Rin just how effective it was in doing whatever it was.

She stood there at the entrance, watching this cute little scene pass for a little. It was one of those moments that you wished you could capture within your hearts forever. But like every moment it came to an end.

Naruto's eyes very quickly fluttered open and his face revealed a smile when he found himself looking straight up into Sakura's eyes. She had a gentle little smirk on her face and refused to stop stroking Naruto's hair in that oh so feather soft manner.

"Feeling better?"

"MmmHmm..." Naruto's head shifted slightly so that he was now facing Rin with that same placid look on his face. "Hi auntie Rin." He could see the pensive look on her face, that inner struggle where the woman decided whether she should just stay and reveal her truths or if she had already intruded too much.

She was about to turn around and leave for another time but a voice caught. "Wait…just say it. No matter what it is…Sakura can hear it too." As dense as Naruto was, there was a few select people he could read like a book.

'_So he dropped the chan from her name. I didn't realize they had come so far along in their relationship. Its sooo cute!'_

With a slight shake to her head, Rin brought herself back to the matter at hand.

"Naruto…I'm not sure you would want her to…I mean….you may want to hear some of this alone first so…" She was abruptly cut off.

"It's alright Rin." Naruto snuggled himself deeper into Sakura's lap making the color of her face match her hair. "She's not going anywhere."

With a sigh, Rin knew there was no winning this matter. He had inherited his parent's stubbornness after all.

"Naruto….You've been free long enough to wonder….to know...that..." Rin continued struggle with the topic on her mind. It wasn't easy telling someone what they should have known all along….why they were cursed to live a shamed existence for so long.

"It's about my parents…isn't it?" Rin was amazed at how mature Naruto became since his release. His time with Sakura had yielded some amazing results.

And a very happy Sakura.

"Yes….yes it is."

Now it was Sakura's time to speak. "It was the fourth…wasn't it."

To say Rin was shocked was nothing short of an understatement. They had known!? Both of them? How could they? True the resemblance in chakra capacity and physical capacities was undeniable but how could it have been enough.

"Sakura and I…we've spoken about it before. We couldn't be sure but…she…she just had a feeling it was true." Naruto's eyes blinked as tears from Sakura dribbled down her cheek towards her chin, only to make that inevitable fall onto Naruto.

Sakura wouldn't let her emotions show in full now. She had to be strong for him in what must be an emotional time. The thoughts that must be racing through his mind would be indescribable to anyone else. But she was his special connection. Perhaps the only one in the Shinobi world that could feel and share in his pain because of an invisible but turning very intimate link they shared.

It was Naruto who was failed to miss the obvious yet again. "But we couldn't find anything on my mother…" The hokage's family and records had mysteriously…vanished.

It was now Rin that had tears forming in her own eyes to only stroll down her cheeks. This would be tough…far tougher than she imagined.

"Naruto….I'm not your aunt only in name but….

…I'm also your Aunt by blood…."

There was dead silence in the room as Rin moved closer to take a seat closer to the couple.

"Your mother…Kushina….my older sister….is a ….a…"

Sakura however was not known for her patience. The time was upon them for Naruto to finally gain a piece of heritage from this village. "A princess."

Naruto's head finally flung up in surprise at the news. "My mother is a princess!? That means I'm the son of a Hokage and….a prince!? I'm royalty!?!?"

There wasn't time to consider how someone of his lineage had been treated most of his life. There wasn't time to think about all the pain and all the suffering he had encountered. There was no time because Sakura had realized what Naruto had not.

"IS!?"

* * *

Well now you have read, it would be nice to get a review. the quality and quantity have drastically fallen. Its kinda shaken my faith here, but whatever happens happens.

Anyways, until next time, take care. :-)


	8. Blasted Youth

AN: Some of you seemed to like the whole minato/kushina thing i had in the very beggining of the fiction.

Well to keep things fresh im going to leave that for another chapter and bring about some of the other people in the Naruto 'verse.

Thanks for all the reviews and all the nice things everyone says. If anyone just wants to talk or stuff, feel free to look me up in Aim/msn. (screenames in profile).

Interesting side note, i noticed I have started getting a good amount of messages from my GS and GSD stories way back when. I should reread them to see what was so interesting. I hardly remember now.

I look forward to talking to you all. Enjoy as this chapter is a smidgeon longer.

As always i do not own Naruto.

* * *

His body was tired. The years were catching up to him.

It was a strange thing to age as a shinobi. The effects were never quite what one expects. The giant white haired man slumped down in a chair in his Konoha residence and began stretching his aching bones. How he hated time and the damage it can do.

Does a ninja weaken with age? Surprisingly no. Their body and mind becomes increasingly adept and knowledgeable increasing their chakra capacity, strength, and speed with each passing year. The older a ninja gets, the more powerful he finds himself years down the line. Perhaps that was why elders were so highly revered in this world.

But there is…a catch. A critical element they now lack.

Stamina.

Jiraiya's ability to fight a long battle was faltering with every encounter and he could feel it. He had the chakra to summon powerful techniques, some of which never used for years for the sheer amount of energy needed, but he could not maintain it for very long.

He almost had to retreat from this last fight. A fight which he had gained the upper hand and just about snatched victory. That is until his body began to fight his own movements.

Cursed Time, Blasted Youth.

All things Jiraiya was now short on.

He rarely felt like an old man but that feeling was starting to become commonplace now adays. Perhaps that was one reason why he was chasing skirts. It made him feel young again to maintain the habits he had as a young lad. He didn't care about how ridiculous it may or may not make him look or the disapproving glances thrown at him by their current Hokage. It gave him the ability to feel truly whole again.

It was that same feeling that he got when in the midst of a battle. His body would be temporarily thrown back to a time when he was younger, though less powerful, yet had the ambition to take on the shinobi world to prove that a know nothing low class boy like himself would one day become one of the greats.

That feeling however was when he met a boy, just a few years old, locked away in a cage with the uncanny resemblance towards his first and only true pupil. There would be a new flame burning brightly in Konoha in that boy.

Jiraiya had only just figured out why Root had contacted him and Kakashi for the boy's training. It remains a secret for all others until later.

Why hadn't he simply broken the child free beforehand? Why not run away with the child and train him to become a powerful shinobi to be feared and respected by his former captors?

As a shinobi, he had to act like one. There was too much he didn't know and much action that needed to taken. Jumping into that action without any proper information creates reckless results. If he was feared to be a monster, Naruto's death would have been swith. Instead he was kept alive and trained by the most powerful ninja the fire village had to offer.

What was their goal….?

It was such that Jiraiya would never expect.

Nevertheless he became fond of the child and Jiraiya soon saw himself skip the traditional line of marriage and parentage and immediately became a grandfather to an orphan.

That was why he resigned himself to this last personal mission. It would make a great tale for all future generations. A legacy was all an aging ninja had left to offer.

'The Last Ride of Jiraiya,'

That's what the book would be called. He had no doubt this mission would kill him in the end but not a moment before his goal had been accomplished.

Yet Jiraiya would do anything for the pupils that had become family to him. The world was a dangerous place, especially for those who failed to know the love parents had to offer.

But he had, much like his father, found true love in all the right places.

Jiraiya felt a smile come to his face as he leaned back further into the chair while he reached over to a bottle of sake to help ease the tension he was now feeling. He certainly had heard all the reports about Naruto's task at hand. That boy truly was something else.

And his taste in women was eerily similar to Minato's. He could only wonder just how wild Sakura will drive him when her hair starts to redden further as the years go by. It would never be a true red like Naruto's mother's, but just a few shades short of it to maintain that pinkness Naruto loved.

Jiraiya took a quick swig of the liquid his body was craving more and more with the passing days as he remembered one particular tidbit of information that came his way. Turns out the pupils of the two sannin were becoming quite familiar with one another and cast aside many discretions when safely confined within their homes.

Unfortunately Tsunade was 'apparently' blissfully unaware of just how far along their relationship had progressed. Imagine her surprise when she decided to drop in for a check up visit only to discover Naruto's face buried deep within Sakura bountiful assets.

It took even Sakura quite some time to heal the boy after the beating he got for tainting the Hokage's apprentice.

Sakura however found the entire situation quite amusing, she of course had revealed to Tsunade just how things were going and was sure Naruto was just getting the perviness knocked out of him…again.

As these incidents played through Jiraiya's mind, he kicked up his feet upon a near by coffee table and prepared himself for the sleep that was to follow. He would need it for with the sunrise, his mission continues. There was little time to waste.

Just as his eyelids finally succumbed to his weariness, he heard a soft knocking upon his door. He knew who it was…it never changed. This visit came whenever he took one down.

He appreciated the gesture however. For one who could knock down castles with just a few swings, a gentle rap against the door showed endless appreciation and concern.

"Its open"

The door opened up and allowed the current Hokage to make her way into the single bedroom apartment with a concerned look upon her face.

She saw his white mane poking up from the chair, notifying her just where Jiraiya sat so she made her way towards it with soft footsteps. Standing right behind him, she reached her arms around and held on firmly to his shoulders allowing to thoroughly massage the ache out of them.

"Who was it this time?" If Jiraiya had returned to Konoha, he certainly eliminated someone….

"Does it really matter?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring with a symbol etched into it. Unfortunately the writing couldn't be distinguished as the glass covering it was smashed in making it indistinguishable.

"Jiraiya…."

Hi brought his eyes up to look at his Hokage….HIS Hokage…and felt the press of two soft lips upon the top of his brow. "You don't have to do this alone. Kakashi's strong enough now."

She felt his head shake slightly at that answer. "He is young still. The future. It will be up to Kakashi to train and guide Naruto as he ages."

"Then what about Asuma? His style would…" But there was no point in suggesting other people. The only person Jiraiya would trust guarding his back was the only person who couldn't leave the village at a moment's notice.

"Have you heard about Naruto's latest ambition?" A genuine smile came to his face. "Just like his father…"

"You mean Sakura? The boy has been chasing after her since his release, that's hardly new."

"I meant his pledge. Looks like he wishes to follow in his father's footsteps. There appears to be a potential candidate for the next Hokageship." When he heard that news Jiraiya had seldom felt himself so happy. It was not just Naruto….his pledge…following in his father's footsteps or the fact he may now have tutored two Hokages…but something else.

It was that passion Naruto exerted that would nurture the flames of Konoha to burn brightly for generations to come. It was assurance that the only true home he knew would exist long after he is gone.

"It won't be easy for him. Many are still wary of his mysterious background or how he got so powerful." Undefeatable was more like it. The boy had trampled armies…he could not lose.

Jiraiya smirked again. "We are ninja's. Its supposed to be that way. Minato himself was an unknown." Jiraiya didn't want to add that he was an unknown as well. Not in front of Konoha's princess. He still had some shame left as a man and admitting his humble beginnings was still a fault of his. "But his power has weakened considerably since Sakura started that technique…'

"You know about that!?" Tsunade herself had to do a bit of sneaking in order to learn that little tidbit.

"I was the one that left the paper trail for Sakura to follow in your library. How do you think she learned such an advanced sealing technique." This much had to be true. The fourth and Jiraiya had an uncanny ability to master sealing techniques…it was a lost art that many ninja disregarded as the years went on. Only the strongest knew its versatility and power.

"He may not be able to call upon the fox's power again…" The technique would take quite some time to complete however. It required a mastery of healing and sealing techniques keeping it quite the rare combination and Sakura still had much learning to do. Naruto would notice his ability to call upon the fox waning with time.

This time Jiraiya poke with utter confidence. "He doesn't need it. But he has become dependent on that power. That's where Kakashi comes in. When I'm gone…he will be the only one to…"

With a slap to his face Jiraiya's comments were shunned. "Don't talk like that. Don't talk like that ever again." He could see the tears forming in her eyes as she retracted her hands.

Jiraiya brought his hand to the mark left upon the side of his face. She hadn't used her monstrous strength with that strike. That's what made it hurt that much more.

"You can't leave me here...alone. I won't let you. Kami help you Jiraiya if you die before me. I'll beat you senseless for all eternity in the afterlife!" She wasn't outright crying now but the tears were flowing freely from her eyes.

"Tsunade…you know that I….how I…."

This time the Hokage walked from around the chair and sat down on Jiraiya's lap, her arms wrapped around his neck allowing her head to rest upon his chest. "I know…I feel the same."

It was true…she did….about the only man who still called her a beauty even when she dropped her anti-aging technique….it was love.

* * *

Sakura burst into the house and was rummaging throughout all her scattered property looking for the right things to pack on a long trip away from home.

His mother was alive. Alive and well and completely unaware that her son had lived to see many days. Sakura had rarely seen such a look of pure astonishment, worry, anger, and yet compassion on Naruto's face for the many months she had come to know and love him.

His mother was alive. He truly didn't just pop into existence in this near forsaken world. He had proof, a linage…a background….all the things he dreamed for yet only had the courage to talk to Sakura about.

It was like being released into freedom again, except this time he would be looking for his family! His mother!!

But what truly meant the most to Sakura…was that Naruto wanted her to come along on this trip. He wanted her to share in on these moments that would define not only who Naruto was as a person…but who he would continue to grow and become.

Their relationship had taken many a physical turn as she took care of him, experimenting here and there and revealing new sensations to them both. But his mind was still growing, albeit rapidly….it was still maturing.

This would be her chance. To connect with him and confirm his love in all areas, not just that of the flesh.

Warm feelings began racing through her body as she continued gathering last minute items and stuffed them into a travel bag for their departure later in the evening. Permission had been granted. All signs pointed to go.

Sakura was just about to make her way to the door and out to rendezvous with Naruto when she noticed the shadow of a figure looming behind her. It was her mother.

She quickly spun around on her feet and came face to face with her mother's nonplussed expression. "Another mission dear?"

"It's Naruto! He just found out…about his parents….who is father was and the fact his mother is still –"

A smile blossomed upon the older Haruno's face. "So he finally learned that he was the son of the fourth?"

The elder Haruno simply adored Naruto and his precious antics he played. She remembered quite well the first time she had met the young lad when Sakura had brought him over to have a proper dinner sitting a the dinner table with people who might one day become family.

It was one of the few times he felt like he had always belonged.

Sakura was frozen in her footsteps and had to make sure she heard that last part correctly. "You…knew…."

Her mom had a great smile now appear upon her face as she started to tilt her head up as if in great thought. "I had my strong suspicion. The resemblance was uncanny. When I met him...it was like walking into the past…the way he looked…the way he carried himself….it was just….."

Was her mother blushing….did she have a crush on her Naruto!?!

"Mom are you….ok?"

As if snapped from a daze the elder Haruno looked at her daughter with a smile again once she had readjusted herself to reality. "I was just remembering the past, dear. I wasn't surprised to see you had fallen for Naruto. Same way I almost felt about his father…"

WHAT!?!?!?!?!

"Mom…if you tell me that Naruto and I are secretly half-siblings I'm going to..."

"No dear, it was never anything like that." The elder Haruno took a seat near the table and recalled fond memories from a lifetime ago. "Minato-kun was…."

Kun…thank god….nothing intimate.

"…was the guy that girls in this village dreamed about. Strong….good looking…quite the prankster and a bit of a smooth talker. More than a few women tried to get his attention but…."

'_Mom…please don't say he was more concerned with training….If Naruto is like his father and his father was as obsessed with becoming strong at the cost of relationships just like….'_

"..but he never did anything more than a few scattered dates with a girl every now and again. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't that he wasn't looking…it was just that everyone got the feeling he was looking for someone special…" Sakura's mom got that dreamy look in her eyes again as her mother continued to stare out into the nothingness.

"So you were a little obsessed with him then…weren't you..."

"Obsessed? That's an understatement to say the least. I was like a freaking fan girl chasing after his every word, completely ignoring the many times he didn't look my way. The few times that I did well….I heard later it was just because he liked reddish hair." It was now Sakura noticed that her mom's hair wasn't as bright pink as her own. It had always that shade for as long as the young kunoichi could remember…she just never paid any attention to it. It wasn't quite red but it wasn't a true pink anymore. It was like a mix…a color she'd never seen anywhere else.

"I remember being so lost those days….hoping just to get a little more attention…but nothing would ever happen. That didn't make me give up though….until…"

"Until what mom? Until he got married?"

"No dear…my crush on the fourth went away before that. You see...it was your father. He and I had become friends for quite some time over the years through various missions."

It was now that the dreamy look was completely gone from Sakura's mom's face. It was replaced by a face that knew true love.

"I remember when he was younger…he used to cause so much trouble just to get my attention. He'd do little thing like play pranks on me or chase after me during the school break. All I ever did then was tell him to shut up and leave me alone." The tears now started forming in her eyes as some memories were far more painful than others to recall.

"That changed when he and I got put on the same team. It was then that I truly began to notice your father for all his charm." Charm? The guy still tries those cliché little magic tricks like pulling a coin from behind her ear. What charm could there possible be there?

"It was one day when I had been sitting at a restaurant all alone…beating myself up for not being able to get Minato-kun to look my way because I wasn't pretty enough or strong enough or smart enough and…."

Her mother was almost openly crying tears of joy at this point. It was a moment in the elder Haruno's life that had changed things forever. A moment her daughter had never before cared to learn about. "…and I saw your father walk in, dressed very handsomely. I knew he had a date that night. He couldn't stop talking about it the entire last mission. I didn't say anything then but I was upset we weren't going to have dinner like we always did after a success but….he just seemed so happy…"

Sakura found herself deeply entranced within this story as she now leaned in closer to hear the exciting conclusion. It didn't quite strike her that in essence…she was that 'exciting' result.

"…he just found me…walked over to me…got down on his knees…..and confessed that I was the most important thing in his life and if I just gave him a chance…one chance that he would…."

"He would what mom!? He would what!?" this was not the time to take a pause.

"I to this date don't know. After hearing him talk like that I just kissed him right there and then."

Sakura's mind fluttered at the romantic scene that had brought her parents together, the kind you read about in novels.

"I got so embarrassed…your father and I were asked to leave since we were getting a little to rambunctious and..."

STOP STOP STOP STOP! Too much…story time is officially over!!

"OK MOM! I got it!" Sakura said, emphasizing the mom part.

"I'm sorry dear...its just that…"

"Its ok….listen…I got to go…we are going to find Naruto's mom and…wait…you mean the other day when Naruto was over for dinner…dad was looking at him with a scowl because-" Once again Sakura had been interuped.

"he was feeling a bit jealous Sakura. Its not easy to have the spitting image of your wife's former crush suddenly walk in one day." She chuckled a little bit at this thought.

It was time however, for things to get back on track to the important. "You love Naruto quite dearly don't you Sakura?"

"….'

"I can tell Sakura. You never so much as looked at a boy since….well…" There was an awkward silence following. "And now to see how much you have come to care for this one….there is no doubt about it.

"Treasure him Sakura. Love him. From you…he needs it the most."

The elder Haruno had heard about her former' crushes treatment and it damn near brought her to tears.

How could they…to a hero's son….to a hero himself….

All she could do now was give her blessings to a relationship she fully wanted to happen. That boy would find happiness….she knew her daughter would ensure it.

With a nod Sakura ran out the door to meet Naruto who must surely by now be anxiously waiting for her. This would be a mission she would surely never forget.

* * *

Naruto was waiting grimly by the main gate out of Konoha as he awaited his traveling companion. The anticipation was building deep within him with each passing moment. It took all the strength he had and memories of all the recent Sakura beatings not to jump around just out of sheer joy of the adventure to come and the destination it would take him.

He had a mother. He honest to god had a mother. He really was just like everyone else.

A real family indeed.

Though to be honest he was putting together quite the little family here in Konoha itself. Kakashi and Rin often acted like the elder siblings he always wish he had while he was locked away. True Kakashi dropped by every now and then while he was contained to train the young lad, it was just never the same and never enough. But with Rin the whole situation turned from the better. She was one who showed him the love and care of an older sister.

Then of course there was Jiraiya and Tsunade. Those old fogies dropped by every few weeks to check up on him and dote on him as if he were still just a 10 year old growing boy. But he noticed that every time they appeared, Jiraiya appeared more and more tired and started treating him in a far more adult fashion. Something was happening to him. What Naruto couldn't be sure though he had a feeling he wouldn't like it.

Then certainly there was Sakura. The first person he met when released from his tiny prison that confined him for decades. The first and only person with whom he had shared a kiss, and the first person to truly make Naruto feel like he was a human being. She was his salvation from the demon that made a home within him and the one to provide the walls necessary to keep the walls up that would prevent the demonic influence of the Kyuubi from affecting him too much.

Most importantly she was the first one to show him a woman's love.

Now he got to go on an extended mission with Sakura…alone…out into the woods…days on end…with just each other to keep each other warm and comforted.

His desire for her physically was undeniable and quite apparent for both parties involved. His desire for her spiritually continued to grow as he saw her as his angel to deliver him safely from the demon he harbored. Now his desire for her mind and personality was forever increasing as he found her little quirks and her personality to be quite endearing. This would be the chance to really get to know her. All the little things about her that were growing the flames of love he had for her.

Soon Naruto's attention was snapped towards one directions as he heard the rustling of twigs and underbrush heading his way. It was then he felt her chakra. Sakura was finally here.

Without any hesitation left within him, Naruto ran towards Sakura and was soon just inches away. He quickly picked her up and swung her around a few times with laughter emanating from the two. His laughter….his innocence…it was truly pure.

"Ready Naruto?" With a rapid nod of his head he grabbed her hand and started towards the gate only to feel a new hand rest upon his shoulder. Naruto snapped his head back, startled at not being able to sense someone approach him.

"Yo" With a half wave and a glint in his eyes, Kakashi looked at Naruto with a smile hiding under his mask.

"Now where do you two lovebirds think you are going without your chaperones." It was now Sakura who was startled as she saw Rin approaching them with a pack slinged across her back. Oh no…..that meant.

"Chaperones…." Sakura didn't like those words.

"Tsunade-sama told us about your two little escapades. She felt someone needed to keep an eye on your both."

"But Kakashi-sensei! Sakura and I won't…I mean…we might….I mean I really want to...I mean" Naruto's head suddenly collided with the bottom of Sakura's fist.

"BAKA!!!"

Naruto was rubbing his head gently from that hit. "Sakura….that hurt…"

"Why are you two really coming?" There was no way they needed to be watched.

Naruto was still rubbing his head gently, trying to prolong the pain so that Sakura might use her magical touch. With a small kiss to the top of his head, it was delivered.

"Tsunade-sama wanted me to come to help you train Naruto. This is not a short journey and there are many things you can learn, without the Kyuubi's help."

"And Hokage-sama wanted me to come because…..well you two didn't think you could just approach the compound and ask to see their princess? I'm your way in."

True…Naruto hadn't thought about that.

"But….how do we know you two won't sneak out into the woods like that last time when."

"Naruto!" Kakashi abruptly stopped Naruto from speaking all that he knew. Some things he would rather kept on the sly. The man had a reason for being constantly late after all.

"Yes sensei?"

"We should get going if you want to learn some new jutsus." With that the silver haired ninja walked out of the Konoha gate and into the world, with Rin just behind him.

"Ready Sakura?"

"Ready Naruto."

The two smiled and grasped each other's hands, walking slowly behind the slightly older couple.

The Shinobi world beware. The next generation of leaders is upon them.

* * *

I hope you guys enjoyed that .I wrote it as quick as I can since the review count went up to about 14 in the last chapter. (still down from what i thought, but improvement is improvement)

Thanks and I hope to hear from many of you soon.


	9. Konoha's Secret

AN: Hi guys. Its been a while i think. Sorry about that. For those of you looking for more moments with minato and kushina...thats going to be on hold for a bit.

I do however...have a little rant. Feel free to ignore and move on.

What the hell is passing for writing these days? I do my best to draw inspiration from the writing of others, but lately for the most part its been garbage after garbage after garbage. Too many stories of unfaithfulness and other annoying topics. Now i dont claim to be the exception. In fact i know for a fact that most of the characters in this story seem off and i apologize for that. If anything consider this a self rant as well. Its just that so many stories just leave much disapointment. I was genuinely hoping for more in this genre.

Anyways, now that i have that out of my system. Heres the story.

* * *

He couldn't keep it contained within himself anymore. The lies had gone on for far too long. The night, this damned haunting night was slowly clawing away at the experienced ninja's resolve.

Deceit was at the very heart and soul of the life that had been chosen for him. Given his father's stature, there truly was no other path for him to follow. Only now however, did he truly understand what it meant to block off the world around you.

Sure he was lucky enough to have found love. That was what kept him going. It was the driving factor to give him inspiration and live on with the lies he had kept in his heart. Yet despite all of this one thing was true. He was sealed within a cage with no bars, yet offered no route of escape.

Except one that would betray his duty as a ninja.

One secret was already revealed. One that was supposed to have been locked away for years, whose return was a reminder to Konoha of the evil things it had done as a village. Though Root acted alone, its mistakes could not be separated from that of Konoha's. Root existed because it believed there was corruption and evil within the current government, and it was not totally without merit.

The copy nin continued to stare down at the book that gave him solace in the harshest of times. It was his sanctuary, his salvation. The weakness that proved him to be human and not a tool. Tools didn't have emotions like the one he was feeling right now. Tools were nothing. Blank. Nonexistent, unimportant, and easily replaced.

Kakashi sighed to himself as he felt the presence of another standing just behind him. Damn, he let his habit distract him from his ninja duties. No, that was a lie. He was never off his guard. Rin however, knew him well enough to get past his defenses. Another weakness.

With the cracking of knuckles, he knew it would be the most painful weakness yet. In some sick way, he almost welcomed it. Ironic for one such as himself to get beaten like a dog. Perhaps not ironic…but fitting. Being a dog was better than being a tool any day of the week. At least dogs knew loyalty and trust. That was something Kakashi wished desperately to reclaim, even if it meant shattering the vows he made when he became a ninja.

"Honestly! I don't know why you still have that damn bloody book!" Rin was getting furious now. It wasn't the first time she had caught him reading that smut. Every time she did he promised to put it away forever, and every time she believed in his hollow words. The love she felt for this man blinded her shinobi instincts and caused her to easily accept his words.

But tonight would be different. It just had to be. Not with this young couple with them. She wouldn't let them get corrupted by all of this nonsense. She wanted trust. She wanted his word to her to be above any other code Kakashi held.

It was a selfish desire to be sure. Rin had chosen to fall in love with one of the most powerful ninjas to be produced by Konoha. Talk was already being spread around on how he would someday rival the strength of a sannin at their prime. Yet Rin didn't care. She just wanted Kakashi to love her above all else. Was it really asking that much?

To Kakashi…no, it wasn't asking much at all. He wanted to hold her in that regard. But there were things in his heart that were holding him back from making such a commitment. Things that would be cleared up for good.

"Am I not enough for you? Do I bore you? Do you not find me smart enough or attractive enough or-" Kakashi had deftly used his hands to cover Rin's mouth and pull her towards the ground to join him. She landed with a soft thud as her hair bounced around and lagged just a few seconds behind her. It was now his secret would be revealed.

The copy-nin closed the book he held with one hand and offered it to Rin, hoping it would provide all the explanation she needed.

"I don't wanna read that trash! Just tell me why-" She stopped when she felt the book forced into her hands. Her eyes quickly darted down to the book only to see the cover mysteriously change its shape. It wasn't what she thought it was.

A religious guide?

Kakashi was seeking redemption?

Rin was being strangled with confusion as she darted her eyes back down to the book and up to a nearly ashamed Kakashi who could not make contact with her gaze. Very few shinobi ever sought out a higher answer. Typically it was only the ones that committed the worst crimes.

Rin knew his records. Her status and their relationship had given her insight to even his most classified mission. Though many of his assignments were indeed extraordinary, nothing she read made her believe he needed to find a higher power.

"But…..but why?" Why did he need this book? Why the desire to hide it? It was not a symbol of shame to have it. In fact it was often a mark of a shinobi who had done what was necessary of them to preserve the will of Konoha.

"I've betrayed the trust of the people I care about." It wasn't a mission that had affected the ninja so. It was his actions in his personal life. "I kept secrets, from you…from Konoha…and-"

"But you helped Naruto! You taught him, kept him human! Helped in his release. The secret is out and no one blames you. I don't care that you kept it from me! You had to! You just had to!" Rin was almost hysterical as she screamed out these reasons. She could only be glad that Naruto and Sakura had left hours ago to collect wood for a fire. The crackling campfire Rin had set herself in front of her was a reminder of the things the two probably really went out to do.

"Naruto? He's not Konoha's deepest secret. If only…" The silver haired jonin had lived with the fact he was lying to Naruto. Everyday he had spoken to the rambunctious blond boy he had lied to him. By refusing to tell Naruto the truth about his heritage he had assisted in creating the web of deceit."

"His heritage….I never…I should have." A single tear was now forming in the ninja's visible eye as he tried to blink it away. It wasn't working. Nothing was going right today. Only then did he feel a gentle finger from Rin gather the tear and dry his sorrow away. It was a reminder of why he loved her.

"He knows about his mother now. If anything I should have told him sooner. Why are you so upset over it? What's the secret you have been keeping from us all? Whatever it is, I know you didn't betray me or Naruto. Everything you've done was for our benefit. That's why I lov-"

"Minato-sensei lives. That is Konoha's true secret."

"…Sensei….?"

The greatest of the Hokages. The savior of the Hidden Village of the Leaf. The man who had taken on a wily group of gennins upon graduation and trained them to become a fighting force to be reckoned with. The man who had torn her sister's heart apart when the news of his death was confirmed and that jutsu was completed. Moments later she would hear of her son's demise, nearly setting her over the edge…

But now….all those emotions, all those times…it was a lie? Sensei lived? Then where was he? How could he have abandoned the village!? His son!? His wife?

"How long did you-"

Kakashi hung his head down and focused upon the book which resided with Rin. "Since the beginning."

Rin felt the world around her shattering. All this time. Kakashi held this secret, this critical information from the entire hidden village, from herself? All those times he claimed that he held no real secrets from her were nothing but farces!? Was he really so two-faced?

Kakashi was about to turn away, needing some time alone only to feel Rin's body quickly pressed against him in a fierce hug. "All those years….you carried this burden….all by yourself? You couldn't let anyone in….ever…and now the guilt….of lying…of feeling you betrayed your village with your actions….I won't let it consume you."

Now it was Kakashi's turn to freeze. Wasn't she supposed to despise him right about now? "I know that if you kept it a secret…then there was a good reason for it. You are a good man Kakashi. A good man that I love." She released his embrace and dropped the book to the floor.

It seemed to be pulled towards the earth in slow motion until it collided with the soft ground and then fluttered open to a random page. Then something strange happened. The pages flipped again and it opened to the inside cover.

There was writing there, put in manually by a pen and paper mixed in with bloodstains. Unusual for a book on redemption.

Curiously Rin picked it up and studied the handwriting. She remembered it. Few people had the chicken scratch handwriting Minato did.

_I am sorry for what I must ask you to do. _

_It has to be this way. For the sake of my family. _

_Watch over them…be discrete. It is the only way. _

_This text has served me well over the years and through the wars_

_I hope this book offers you the salvation I know you will need._

_-Minato_

Rin read the last few lines of the book and couldn't imagine he pain he had to live through. There is only one other person out there in the world who would suffer more from this news.

"How do we tell Naruto this?"

Off in the forest Sakura lay quietly near the bank of a river as her eyes were fixated on the clear night sky looking for shooting stars to streak their way across. Her hands were folded nicely behind her head to act as a pillow while she kicked one leg over the other in a peaceful manner.

"Are you having any luck Naruto?"

The sound of erratic splashing and some incoherent muttering told her the answer to that question.

"I told you that you need to be quiet. Fish get scared away easily. You can't keep jumping around like that and expect to catch anything, baka" It annoyed her that Naruto often disregarded the advice she gave him. Then again she found his attempts to make it his own way to be infinitely too cute to stay mad at him for long.

"Just you wait! I'll catch the biggest one in the whole river!"

Naruto was quickly bonked on the head by a rock and fell face first into the river. He never got the chance to see an angry Sakura now standing with her fish raised in actor. "You idiot! Stop saying such stupid things and just catch a few fish. Besides, you're ruining my peaceful nights sleep!"

Naruto stood up grinning like an idiot while rubbing the back of his head with one of his hands. "Heh, sorry." It was then however that he noticed something rather large wiggling down in his pocket. Sticking out of it was a huge fish tail that was wriggling back and forth looking for an escape back into the river.

"Aha! See! I caught one! I knew I could do it!" Naruto got so excited over such little things. Single handedly stopping a war? A minor accomplishment. Catching a fish in a river to impress Sakura…definitely a big deal.

Sakura slapped her forehead with an exasperated sigh and slunk back down onto the ground. That knucklehead managed to show her up again. With a sly smile on her face she returned to her stargazing when she noticed a very wet blond took a seat beside. She allowed her defenses to close with the closeness of his presence and began the release of the chakra that seemed to sooth the demon spirit within. How she came across this technique to seal the beast she may never know, but it was an aid to Naruto and that was all that mattered.

Unfortunately letting her guard down was precisely the wrong thing to do. Because it was Naruto now who would stumble across another secret.

"Hey Sakura? What's this?" Something was different in Naruto's voice. It wasn't worried, nor concerned. It wasn't angry or happy. It simply was….different.

Her eyes shot open and looked towards the blond ninja to see him holding something in his hand that forced him to stare intently at it. Unless she was mistaken, it looked like a picture. But that couldn't be, the only picture she had was…..

Her mind immediately froze as that thought flashed through her mind.

"Who is this guy with Kakashi-sensei and you? Is he a friend? Why is your face all red? How come I haven't seen him in the village? He looks a little mad? So? Who is it Sakura?" Naruto was no fool. He was educated while imprisoned. Certain books from certain perverted ninja taught him what would cause a woman to blush in such a manner. All he could do was hope, hope to Kami it was a misunderstanding.

Her silence was earth shattering as the wheels in her mind continued to spin and look for an acceptable answer. How could have found this? How could she have been so careless as to let him stumble upon that tossed away section of her life?

"That's….Sasuke….an old fri-" She bit her tongue as she was about to smooth over that part of her life. It wouldn't be fair to Naruto. He had always shown her nothing short of the truth. He wore his emotions on his sleeves and sought to deceive no one. How could she even consider doing anything but that for him?

"Naruto, I want you to listen to me. Very carefully, ok?" He gave her a simple nod and eyed her curiously at the story to come. Sakura moved herself over until she was situated within Naruto's arms, with her back lying against his chest.

"And I want you to remember Naruto…that I….that I love you very much, ok? Even though you act like an idiot, and a goofball…and are a loudmouth…and a clutz." She said she loved him. That's all Naruto needed to hear as his arms wrapped tighter around her. Those words were never spoken to him before. He would have to ask about this love word later on and find out what it means. For now…all he knew is that it made him feel infinitely good.

Sakura loved the feel of his hold and continued that sealing technique in the back of her mind. Little snipits of green chakra systematically left everyone of her pores and found their way soothingly into Naruto's body. There it would work its way to the seal that contained the incarnation of evil and strengthen the hold it had against the demon.

"So what's a Sasuke? How come you haven't introduced us? Is he away on a mission? Why is the picture so old…why-"

"Sasuke was a teammate of mine. Back when I first became a gennin."

"Gennin?" That's right. Naruto missed most of that education. The focus was always to make Naruto stronger, not to teach him how to become a better ninja.

"When I first became a ninja. Anyways…Sasuke was…..different. Something about him….really made the girls go crazy over him. He was so dark, so mysterious and a lot stronger than the other people in our class. I remember when I found out I was on his team….I was soo excited and-" The hold Naruto seemed to have on her tightened. She could feel the thumping of his heart increase with each passing moment. Naruto thought his heart was about to be broken. She wouldn't let him continue on with that feeling.

"I did have a crush on him. For many years. I remember I kept asking him out on dates" His breathing became sporadic. His pulse increased. The intensity was building. "And he kept turning me down."

His numbers continue to race. She needed to calm him down. "But…Sasuke wasn't the man we all thought he was. He had a purpose. A mission. One that he would give up anything for…."

He was starting to calm down now. His pulse was slowing, not a lot but rather just enough. It was then that Naruto noticed a small tear streaming down from her eye. He wanted to wipe it away…but he wouldn't risk loosing the hold he had onto her.

"….he…he betrayed the village Naruto. Just a few years back when we were barely 16. He left this village and searched for power. Sasuke cut us loose. Like we were nothing to him." Sakura continued to sniffle at the story. "And I was heart-broken. I never knew who Sasuke really was…what his likes were…his dislikes…his favorite anything…what annoyed him….half the time he never said more than two words to me but….

Naruto's body froze as he was listening to Sakura's story. She was hurt. In pain from events in the past. Though he didn't notice it before, but there was a part of her that was broken.

"But we were a team…and when he left…the team was broken up. I just want things to be back the way things were." Again Naruto tensed. He never wanted to return back to his past. His life in that prison were already carefully sealed away in his mind. A trick Tsunade put upon him to maintain his sanity. "No…better than they were before." Sakura shifted a little bit within Naruto's hold so she could face him straight in the eyes. "This time…you will be a part of Team 7 as well."

"Sasuke was really important to you, wasn't he?" The determination was unmistakable in his voice.

"Yes…he was. He was a team member. He was family."

All of a sudden Naruto let go of Sakura and stood up quickly with a triumphant look on his face.

"Well then if he is important to you, then he is important to me!" There was a little glint in his eyes as he spoke, one that lacked any worry or doubt. "I'll bring him back home and then we will finally be a team."

Sakura looked up at him with surprise in her heart but hopefulness there as well. Was he serious? Here he was on the verge of discovering his own past and mending the wounds that led him to having such a despicable life, yet all he could think about was saving Sakura from the far more trivial troubles she had gone through.

How did she end up finding such a gem? He was her diamond in the rough.

"I only have one condition." He was smiling again. Always so bright and cheery.

"Oh yeah, and what's that." She held out her hand to allow Naruto to bring her to her feet as well. She was now standing before him with their noses almost touching one another yet their eyes were fixated on each other.

"What does love mean?"

* * *

Yeah, i know, about a dozen more errors than i usually put in. Ive been in a mood lately. apolgies all around. Ill try and do better next time 


End file.
